Prestige: Love Behind The Camera
by Hinata5enpai
Summary: It's hard not to fall for someone when they're your duet partner! Sasuke x Hinata Gaara x Sakura and Neji x Tenten ENDGAME, but there are smaller, short-term, pairings throughout. Rated M for mature themes throughout, including lemons.
1. The Pilot

**WARNING: SLIGHTLY MATURE CONTENT IN THIS CHAPTER! EDIT: Also, apparently saying mature themes doesn't make it obvious that mature themes such as a close encounter with sexual assault, so for those of you who may be triggered by such a thing, that does happen in this story. **

**I do want to reassure any and all readers that not all chapters will be as dramatic as this one.**

** Don't let the amount of negativity in Hinata's life in THIS CHAPTER ruin the rest of the story for you.**

** Everything that happens in this chapter is necessary for later chapters. **

**I promise, our Hinata will not be experiencing only negative things throughout this story.**

** Like I always say: Sometimes you have to suffer through the tough times to know when the good times have come!**

**FOR NEW AND OLD READERS:**

** This is a rewrite of my unfinished story "Love Behind The Camera". **

**If you are interested in what this may have looked like before being revamped, feel free to go back and read what is posted of that story because I've left it up for comparison.**

** Thank you for reading and I truly hope you enjoy! **

**I LOVE getting feedback from readers whether it's follows, favorites, reviews, or even private messages! **

**On top of that, I have the main story-line to this story mapped out, but there's always room for edits or additions so feel free to let me know if there's something you think should happen or not happen within the story and I'll seriously consider. **

**Enjoy!**

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Getting famous with the arts as an outlet is without a doubt one of the best ways to leave your stamp on history. Just think about how many musicians are still insanely famous despite having long passed away: Beethoven, Bach, Freddie Mercury, and so many more. What's even more exciting is that with today's technology, your work can be witnessed much easier and more frequently, thus making it easier to gain popularity. The same can be said the other way around, however. You can ruin your career even quicker than you can start one with just one bad tweet or interview, especially if you're a fresh face to the entertainment industry. Luckily, or maybe unluckily, for me, I'm already used to the world of fame.

Of course, I'm not famous for anything other than being born with my name, but I fully intend to change that the moment I graduate high school (which would be in less than a week!). I go to a private school, Konoha Elite, where you either get in because of your name and money or you earn your way in with above average intelligence. Because this school is so high profile, most of the students answer very realistically when asked what they are planning to go to college for, be it business, accounting, or even law.

More often than not, students go to college for whatever their family is known for. For example, the Inuzuku's are world renowned scientists and doctors, the Uzumaki's are often business owners, and the Hyuga's are technological inventors. That's my family name, Hyuga. The family name is what has me spending my weekends at press conferences and dinner parties instead of hanging out with friends or playing video-games. It's also this family name that has developed an overbearing anxiety disorder within me. Expectations for me have been and are held so high that I often physically crumble under the pressure.

To get back on topic, if you ask these same students who would be going to school for medicine or law without their parents listening what their dream jobs were, I can guarantee that their answers would be nothing related to what they are planning their lives around. For me personally, Father had signed me up for business and technology classes the day that I started my final year of high-school, only he has them scheduled at the most elite college in the area: KTech. I've been on the incoming roster list for a year and I just recently turned eighteen! What I really want to do with my life was create art, whether it be in the form of music, photography, or even painting. All that I want in life was to have a constant ability to express myself clearly and the arts enable me to do so.

Since I can remember, I've always had that dream. You know the one. The one where you're center stage with a single spot light on you. The crowd is chanting your name as you look out at them and feel proud of your success. That's what I really want, but realistically I know that the chances of me making it that big are slim even with my name, so I've settled for taking some classes for photography and graphic design behind my father's back. If I can't make it on one side of the camera, I want a chance to at least be on the other side. My hands danced over the piano keys in the dark music room, room number 5 at the very end of the hall. I taught myself at an early age to play the piano, the only endeavor that I'm truly proud of.

The sleek feel of each key brings a swell to my chest and a happiness to my heart that only music can provide. A soft melody flows gently through the air as I casually play the melody to Yiruma's River Flows In You. My body sways slightly with the melody as I help the notes crescendo and decrescendo. I keep my eyes closed as I play, knowing my favorite piece so well that I don't need to look at the keys.

In my mind, I picture the notes physically coming out of the piano as little gold wisps of light. My peaceful imagery shatters as a loud slam comes from the direction of the only entrance/exit of the room, the locked door. My hands freeze on the keys and I glance nervously at the small window in the middle of the door to see Karin and Suigetsu sticking their noses against the glass and making faces at me. The triumphant swell in my chest sinks away and is replaced with the steely weight of depression.

The two are always looking for me in the hallways, ready to get a torment session in before their next class or before they go home. Karin and Suigetsu are Konoha Elite's "it" couple. No one really likes them, but everyone wants to be friends with them solely so they won't end up their next target. They've bullied and bought their way to the top, being the reigning prom king and queen going on three years now. Karin is, without a doubt, the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She has blood red hair and deep dark eyes set against flawless pale skin, not to mention a perfect body, but her personality is one of the nastiest to contrast with her appearance.

Suigetsu, on the other hand, is average looking if not maybe a bit cute, but he's a sadist in every sense of the word. Karin verbally bullies people while Suigetsu physically bullies them. He has shoulder length white hair, which he often keeps pulled back in a man-bun, and blue eyes. Karin honestly wears the pants in the relationship, but that doesn't mean that Suigetsu isn't intimidating on his own.

Karin's family are famous designers, creating and maintaining the luxurious Uzumaki brand. They've always been successful clothing and accessory designers, but in the last year they released a new set of trend setting eye-wear that really skyrocketed their popularity. The girl in question has nothing to do with the success of her parents' company, but that doesn't stop her from telling everyone that she's the sole designer for them. The other students either believe her or at least pretend to so they won't put a target on their backs.

There was one girl in particular that I remember called her out on her bullshit in their gym class last year and Karin had Suigetsu hold the girl down while she cut the poor girl's hair choppy and short in front of everyone. The girl was so ashamed of her appearance that she transferred out to a different school. I remember vaguely that the girl had had the prettiest pale pink hair. It's a shame that Karin had to ruin it.

The clear sound of the door handle jiggling as the pair try once again to get into the room has my hands anxiously clenching into fists in my lap. The sadness that I feel was quickly turning into panic as I realize finally that I've trapped myself in here. I normally go for the first music room since it's next door to a few other rooms and I'm more likely to get out of there without being intercepted by the couple, but the other one's had been occupied so I'd settled for the last room in the hall. I shakily smooth my long black hair as I try to come up with a plan and fail miserably.

They aren't interested in cutting my hair, too, right? Father would be so angry if I came home with my hair ruined. There would be no explaining to him what happened. It's Hyuga standard to show off our bloodline with healthy and long hair, even for most of the men. The Hyuga's run a company very similar to that of Apple or Samsung. My father, Hiashi, is the current CEO of the Hyuga company, therefore my sister Hanabi and I are expected to resemble everything that the family has to offer. I glance around the room hopelessly as the two behind the door laugh loudly at my obvious panic. There really is only one exit to the room. It has no windows or even large air vents to escape out of: just the door.

I make it a point to avoid eye contact with them as I softly close the lid over the piano keys. It was like saying goodbye to a friend so I could head off to war. My hands shakily pull my book-bag's strap up over my shoulder and I stand from where I was seated. I glance at my phone to see that my free period would be ending in less than five minutes so I have to get out soon or my father would be notified that I was tardy to my next class. With a deep breath, I clench my hand tightly on the strap of my bag and unlock the door with the other.

The second they were able, the two tormentors shot the door open, making me take a hasty step back to avoid being knocked back by it. If the two didn't have such jarringly different features, one would think they were related just by how in sync their facial expressions were. They take a step towards me with matching smirks, blocking the doorway completely. "You opened the door much quicker than we expected, Hinata!" Karin's perfectly white teeth glisten as she gives me a syrupy grin. "We've noticed you've been avoiding us, Hyuga. You aren't trying to send us a message, are you? Could it be that you don't like us?"

Suigetsu smiles wolfishly, doing little to hide his wondering gaze from his girlfriend. She doesn't seem to notice, but I definitely do. I silently try to brush past them and out into the hallway, but to no avail. Suigetsu's never one to shy away from getting physical and he quickly grabs my forearm and stops me in my tracks. My mind reels anxiously as my eyes dart to the ground. I won't stoop to their level and insult them. I just want to be on my way. Karin daringly steps closer to me, so close that I can smell her expensive perfume and count the fake eyelashes that she wears. She trusts that I won't move with Suigetsu's hold on my arm and she's correct, "Hinata, aren't you going to miss us when we all graduate? I know we're gonna miss you."

Her hand comes up to touch my cheek and I jerk my head to the side to remove it, mustering as hard a glare I can as I stare at the ground behind her left shoulder. Suigetsu's grip on my wrist tightens and he moves to stand behind me, pulling my other wrist back with his free hand. My bag falls from my shoulder and sags at my side. I wince at his rough grip, glancing back at him with a pleading look. The boy had, on a few occasions, convinced Karin to not lay hands on me solely because my older cousin Neji would come after him if he found out. Neji isn't so low as to hit a woman, but he will happily beat Suigetsu to a pulp.

My cousin is twenty-three and in college studying business management and accounting. Father's training him to be my right-hand-man if and when I take over the company some day. The boy gives me a scary smile, his canines pointier than other people's, which does little to soothe my nervousness as he leans down to speak mockingly in my ear, "Don't give me that look, little Hyuga. We have to get our fun in before we graduate." I feel one of his hands linger down to caress my bottom and a wild heat pours onto my face as I struggle to get away from him. Karin glares at me, not noticing Suigetsu's little groping incident, "What's the matter, Hinata? Do you like my boyfriend? Pathetic. As if he'd like someone as useless as you, right Baby?"

She leans forward to plant a deep kiss onto his lips. I hear the disgusting sound of their lips moving so close to my ear and try to duck away, only for my wrists to be squeezed angrily once more. Karin pulls back and holds my head still with a hand on either side of my face, "Can I ask you a favor, Hinata?" She doesn't wait for me to reply because she isn't really asking a favor. She's going to demand I do something or else there'd be consequences. "I want you to come to this room after school tomorrow and meet us."

I don't give her a reply and simply keep my gaze on the ground. She roughly removes her hands from my face, motioning for Suigetsu to follow her as the bell rang to end the class period. The young man listens like a dog obeying his master and pulls me back onto my butt before letting out a laugh and following his girlfriend out of sight. Tears well up in my eyes, but I don't let them fall. Just one more week of this and I'll be done with them forever. Students start passing by in the halls and I quickly get to my feet and dust off my clothing so I can head to the last class of the day, Calculus.

* * *

Once my class is over, I head towards my locker that's on the top floor, just in front of Music Room number 1. I shove my books and bag into the small space, opting my large bag out for a small cross-body that's just big enough to carry my phone and wallet. As I reach into my larger bag for my phone, I realize it must've fallen out earlier in the music room. I haven't checked for it since then so that would be the best place to start looking. I silently place my wallet into my smaller bag and toss it's strap up onto my shoulder before shutting my locker and heading further down the hall to search the music room for my phone.

The room's dark when I approach it and I quickly turn the handle to the room and open the door, reaching for the lights so I can see more easily, only to be grabbed by both of my shoulders and pulled into the room before I can reach the switch. My scream is muffled by a hand clamping over my mouth and I hear the click of the lock on the door. My eyes are wide as they search the black of the room for any sign of who could be subduing me. The person's hands are calloused and large so I figure out quickly that this person is male and immediately know who it is. As soon as I come to the conclusion, Suigetsu's lips are on the back of my neck and leaving a trail of rough kisses.

As a young woman who's yet to even have her first kiss, the feeling is foreign to me and has me developing a cold sweat all over my body. Sure, Suigetsu has bullied me for a large part of my high school career, but he's never taken it this far. Where is Karin? Bile rises in my throat as I try to fight him, but ultimately am no match for his strength. He's on the football and basketball team so it's no surprise that he has strong muscles. I kick my legs back at him, trying to aim for his most sensitive areas, and he finally stops kissing me. He roughly throws me to the ground, my hands just barely coming down in time to catch myself before my head can slam against the hard floor.

I turn to look at him, only to have my blood run cold. He is suddenly very close to me, kneeling over my legs with a pocket knife held against my leg and a devilish smile on his thin lips. Tears start welling up in my eyes and I try to reason with him, "S-S-Suigetsu, please s-stop!" His dark blue eyes seem to glow in the dark room. The predatory look on his face is making it hard for me to focus on finding a way out of this dangerous situation. The young man crawls his way up until his face is just inches away from mine. I can smell the spearmint gum on his breath and never thought that such a nice smell would make me sick to my stomach, but it does now.

My body is shaking in fear as he pushes my head to the side and slightly up so he can begin laying kisses into the crook of my neck. Tears begin falling freely down my cheeks and I let myself fall back onto my back to try and create some distance between his mouth and my body. His free hand that had been holding my hands down in front of my body moves to clasp tightly around my neck and he points the knife at my face with his other. I struggle to breathe as he finally speaks, "I've been missing you, Hinata."

I can't find a single word to say so I just do my best to not make any sudden movements and he continues speaking, lightening his grip ever so slightly so I can breathe, "You know, I see the way you look at me, the way you've always looked at me. I know you want me, too." My body is shaking like a leaf in the wind at this point. Will he really hurt me? His pupils are very small compared to usual and the whites of his eyes are bloodshot. Perhaps he took something and it was making him act like this. I open my mouth to try and talk him out of whatever he plans on doing, but he re-hardens his grip on my throat and I'm left gripping his wrist in desperation.

Through the years, he and his girlfriend have beaten me to a pulp on a few occasions, but they've never gone so far as to pull a weapon on me. I know you must be wondering why I haven't gotten my family involved and that's an easy one. The great Hiashi Hyuga will not take too kindly to his daughter begging him to help her take care of two students the same age as her. I already look so weak and stupid in his eyes, adding this to all of that would just make things so much worse for me. So I try my best to tough it out, but it's never gone this far. "Where's your cousin at now, Hinata? I haven't seen him around in weeks to stop me from doing whatever I want to you."

He brings his face not an inch away from mine as he finishes his threat. Suigetsu is correct. Neji has been away on a business trip for Father for almost a month now. He's due to be back any day now, but it hasn't been set in stone because the weather has been dangerous where he's at and his flights keep getting delayed. I gasp for breath as he releases my throat and my hands shoot up to cover it as I cough a few times. His knee pushing my legs apart had a more severe panic running through my veins. I frantically tried to fight him off, but he quickly had my hands pinned above my head with one hand and was putting all of his weight down on them. "P-P-Please, no!"

The steely feeling of the knife's cool blade pressing lightly against the soft skin at my neck had me clamping my mouth shut in an instant. "I can tell you're a virgin, Hinata. Why is that? Did Daddy never let you have a cock?" Bile once again rises in my throat at the vulgarity of which he spoke to me. He sets the knife down on the floor to his right and uses his free hand to start unbuttoning my shirt. I'm sobbing at this point, unsure of what else I can do to break free of his hold. Just as his fingers are unclasping the last button, the familiar sound of the door handle being jiggled reaches both of our ears.

To me it sounds like heaven and to him it no doubt sounds like his fun is ruined. He releases my hands quickly and motions for me to make myself presentable as he snatches up his knife and folds it up so he can slide it back into his pant pocket. I desperately snap my shirt's buttons back into place and gather my bag, locating my phone on the piano's bench. Just as I finish soothing my hair out and wiping my face of any tears that may still be straying, Suigetsu opens the door to reveal Anko, the music teacher. He offers her a bright smile, "Hello Anko, how're you this afternoon?"

She rolls her eyes at him and leans around his figure to see me standing uncomfortably behind him. I can tell by the look on her eyes that she knows what she just interrupted and she straightened her posture back out, "It's time for you to go home, Suigetsu. Go straight home or I'll be telling your coach about this." A panic flashed over his face because he was one of the few students who'd made it into this school by his grades and a sports scholarship is the only way he'd be able to afford college.

Though I'm elated that Anko's saved me from potentially being molested or worse, a large part of me hates her for not taking him straight to the office and telling the Dean about all that he's done. She would never do that, though, and neither would any of the other faculty members. Suigetsu is Karin's long-time boyfriend, and Karin's family makes very generous donations to the school each year. If the staff manages to conduct punishment on either of the teenagers, Karin would be sure her parents would pay a hefty price to deface the school. Once the young man was out of her sight, Anko approached me with a worried look on her face, "Are you alright, Hinata? Did he hurt you?"

I gingerly stepped around her and started walking towards the exit, "I-I'll be fine." I know I shouldn't be angry with her because she'd undoubtedly have her entire career ruined if she was the one who'd initially turned Suigetsu in for his wrong-doings, but I can't help myself. If I were in her position, I'd turn him in in a heartbeat regardless of the consequences. Just as I was stepping through the doorway, the familiar form of Naruto Uzumaki strode past me, surrounded by a few of his friends and his cousin, Karin. Heat rushes to my face and I hurry down the hall in the opposite direction that they were going. Naruto is one of the most popular guys in school and for once, it made sense.

He was kind, passionate, and befriended everyone. He's the captain of the basketball team and is the heir to his parents' ramen restaurant chain, Uzu. My heart has belonged to Naruto Uzumaki from the very first day we met, back in the second grade. It was my first day at school, since I'd been home-schooled up to that point and I wasn't very good at making friends, something that hasn't changed much even today. A few girls were throwing sand at me in the sandbox and making fun of my eyes and Naruto swooped in like my own personal hero and chased them away with a grasshopper he'd found in the grass. We were casual friends up until middle school, when he finally hit puberty and others started to take notice of him.

Don't get me wrong, Naruto never became one of the bullies that tormented me or anyone else. He just got popular and I stopped trying to talk to him out of fear he'd see me as weak, just like my family and his friends did. I'd rather he forget I exist than have a bad opinion about me. This doesn't stop me from admiring him from a distance and day dreaming about what it could've been. In fact, I've never really paid attention to any other males because my sights have always been on Naruto.

I peer down at my phone as I exit the building, letting the fresh outdoor air calm my nerves if only a little bit. There were three missed calls from my father staring back up at me. A sigh slips past my lips as I start the trek home by foot since I've missed the bus. Our house isn't too terribly far since the school's located on the edge of the business section of Konoha, only a few blocks away from the higher-end residential areas. Only a handful of other persons are out walking as I strolled casually down the sidewalk.

Almost everyone in this area works long days and if they have wives that don't work, they'll choose to tan and exercise in their own homes instead of outside. Of course there are a few here and there who are walking their dogs, or maybe it's their maids and butlers walking them. My point is, not many pedestrians are around outdoors in the community my family's home is located. After walking for nearly fifteen minutes, I arrive at the gates of the Hyuga Main Family's home. The building is stone and modern in appearance, my father refusing to appear as anything but the best to those who aren't familiar with our name.

We move around once in a while when Father decides our home isn't the best place for us to live anymore and we'll find another mansion to reside in that's still in the school's district. After unlocking the gate with my magnetic key and taking my time approaching the large stairs that lead up to the front doors, I finally enter the overbearing building and immediately feel a tense thickness in the air. Two maids are setting the large dining table in the dining room for dinner and turn to bow respectfully to me as I pass. I give each of them as confident of a smile as I can given the tongue-lashing I'm surely about to receive.

As I reach the family room, I notice a familiar pair of broad shoulders sitting next to Hanabi and across from my father. Relief floods over me at the sight of Neji's safe return to Konoha. He's the closest thing I have to a loving family member and I've been sick with worry about him since the news of the terrible weather where he was came to my attention. After bowing respectfully to my father and cousin, I take a seat silently on the other side of Hanabi on the plush white couch.

Hanabi silently pours me a cup of tea, as is her duty as the youngest in the room, and I accept it with a small smile to my little sister. She doesn't return my smile and I know that Father must really be upset. I sip my tea in silence for a moment, offering Neji a small smile as well when his eyes meet mine, only to have Father finally break the silence in the room. "Hinata, why do I pay your phone bill if you aren't going to answer it when I call you?"

Gingerly, I sit my cup down on the coffee table and do my best to appear confident in front of my overbearing father, "I-I apologize, F-F-Father. Mr. Cornelius w-w-was giving me some t-t-t-tips on my entrance p-paper for K-KTech." I lie through the skin of my teeth and he seems to believe me, but that doesn't mean he's happy with this. "The heir to the Hyuga company should not need tips for her entrance paper, or any assignment for that matter. Requesting and accepting said tips makes our family come off as unintelligent and reliant on others. Do you understand?"

A lump in my throat forms as I nod, unable to trust my voice not to waver with a vocal reply. Father does not seem to care about my reply and continues talking, this time slightly louder as though he's speaking to all of us and not just me, "I have an announcement to make that affects us all. Hinata, you will not be offered the position of CEO upon my retirement." I temporarily forget my manners and can't stop myself from blurting out a confused, "W-What?" Who is getting it then? Father's gaze hardened and he's quick to reprimand me for my outburst, "Silence, Daughter. That is no way to address your elder. This is just one more reason you've been taken out of consideration for my legacy."

My mouth clamps shut and the familiar feeling of tears forming in the corners of my eyes washes over me. He continues with a hard glare on his silver eyes, "Neji will be taking my place as CEO until Hanabi comes of age, at which time she will be taking his place and he will be demoted to Vice-President. Do you all understand?" Each of us nods in silence, aware that speaking is pretty much prohibited at this point and we are expected to go along with whatever our family's leader decides to do. "Hinata, while you are very much not suited for a leadership position within the company, it would be shameful for me to not offer you a career opportunity at all. After you've completed your schooling at KTech, you will be offered a secretarial job in Hanabi's office. I expect you will be able to handle something as simple as that."

Betrayal rushes through my veins and I shoot to my feet in disbelief, "A s-s-secretary?! H-Hanabi and N-N-Neji get these amazing p-positions and you w-w-w-want me to be a secretary?" Father's glare hardens further, if possible, "If the number of outbursts you've had since you've gotten home from school is anything to tell, even a secretary job may be too professional for you, Daughter. I suggest you take some time to think about your actions before dinner is served or else you will be unwelcome to join us." I hold his gaze in disbelief for a few moments before looking at Neji and Hanabi for support. The two of them have their eyes lowered onto their cups of tea and avoid my gaze.

The tears overflow from my eyes and I turn on my heel to hurry out of the suffocating house before I can have a panic attack. Once I'm outside the gate to the mansion, I start walking down the sidewalk with the familiar heat of misery burning my throat and cheeks. I've never had a single best friend growing up because of this family and even had to hide having just-at-school friends from my family in fear of being punished for not focusing one hundred percent on my schooling. My whole life has been dedicated to being molded to be Hiashi Hyuga's heir. Perhaps he's correct that I'm not suited to be the CEO, but I definitely have better potential than just being a secretary! Don't I? Well, maybe he's right...

I end up at a small coffee shop a few blocks away from my home and wipe my tears from my face before entering. The last thing I need is for someone to see me inside with tears in my eyes and report back to my father that I've been showing my weakness in public. After sitting down in a booth by myself in the back of the nearly empty place, I was offered a plain cup of coffee from the waitress and accepted it with a polite smile. The place is cozy and small inside with a warm atmosphere and the mouth-watering smell of pastries in the air. There's a group of elderly women sitting across the room from me in a booth and when I accidentally make eye contact with one of them, they erupt into gossipy whispers to each other.

I lean my head onto my hand in a way that hides my face from the women and stare into my cup of coffee. I'm not even thirsty, I just want some time alone to think about what I'm going to do. I could always accept the secretary job and do my best to impress my family in hopes that I'll be promoted to a less-degrading job, but who knows how long that will take or if it'll happen at all. On top of that, running a corporation has never been something that I'm passionate about. Should I run away and try to make it on my own as a photographer or something?

Another sigh slips past my lips and I wipe a stray tear from my cheek before anyone can see it. I'll probably be a failure at anything I try, so what's the point? I'll accept what Father wants me to do, just like I always do. "Excuse me, Miss, is this seat taken?" A deep, warm, and obviously masculine voice cuts me from my self-deprecating thoughts. I sit up straight and look up at whoever was trying to talk to me. My voice gets caught in my throat as my eyes lay on one of the most attractive older men I've ever seen and I gesture for him to take a seat while on auto-pilot.

The man's in a very expensive looking business suit so it seems plausible that he may know my father and I don't want to further upset him by leaving a bad impression. The man sits across from me with a charming smile on his full lips. He can't just be a business man with a face like that. "It doesn't seem right for a beautiful girl like you to be sitting alone, does it? What's your name, Miss?" My cheeks started to warm up at his compliment and I struggled to answer him, "I-I-I'm H-Hinata."

His smile widens slightly, "You're Hinata, then? What a wonderful name. It suits you very much. I have to be honest. I saw you crying outside and you looked like an award winning actress. It's not often you come across someone who looks attractive while crying, is it?" I just stare back at him in confusion. He's so confident that he feels no embarrassment being so honest with me and he doesn't even know me. I'm green with jealousy as he continues speaking, "Please don't feel threatened when I say I followed you in here for a chance to meet and speak with you. You see, I've been looking for someone like you."

Fear takes over my body at his words. Even someone as handsome as he could commit crimes like abduction or murder. I glance over to see the group of older women were paying their bill and heading for the door. I grip my small purse in my hands and prepare to make a run for the door. "No! Don't be frightened, Hinata! Let me explain myself. My name is Kakashi Hatake of-" My eyes widened in absolute shock. I know who he is just by his name and can't help but interrupt him, "Of E-Evolution Entertainment! I-I know of you, y-y-your agency is a-amazing!"

My face soon became red with embarrassment. The CEO of the most prestigious talent agency in the country saw me crying like a baby about some family spat. What a terrible first impression to make on someone so important. His smile widened at my knowledge of him, "Oh! Thank you for your kind words, Hinata. As I was saying, the agency has been searching for someone with your appearance for weeks now. Do you sing at all? Dance?" I nod quickly without really thinking. I've never really tried dancing other than ballroom-style for dinner parties and such, but I do sing in the shower and to myself while I play piano pretty often. He let out a small laugh of relief, "That's wonderful! Would you be interested in auditioning for me and a panel of other members of the agency?"

I nod just as quickly as before, wondering only for a moment if my eagerness is coming off as annoying. He pulls out his wallet and lays more than enough money for both of our bills on the table before pulling out a business card for his agency and pen. As he's writing some info on the back of the card, he speaks to me with that brilliant smile still on his lips, "Wonderful. It's settled then. I'll see you tomorrow at noon. Don't be late!" He hands the card to me before I can reply and gets to his feet. His words finally register and I shoot to my feet, "W-Wait! Noon? I have s-s-school tomorrow though."

He paused and looked back at me with a daring smirk, "If you want it that badly, you'll be there." With his final words, he bowed politely to me and the waitress that had been ogling him since he'd entered and was gone. I sit back down and stare at the fancy business card he'd left for me. He'd written my first and last name on the card, despite me only giving him my first name. So he knows who I am, then? Is he only interested in recruiting me because of my family name? Also, I have to skip school tomorrow in order to make it to this audition. The agency's location is clear on the other side of town and takes nearly two hours to get to when you take traffic into consideration for that time of day. It won't be an issue physically getting there and skipping school because my whole family is gone by the time I leave for school, it's just that the repercussions of my actions that have me worried.

What if I don't make it despite Kakashi's interest and I'd have skipped school for nothing? The waitress came over and pretended to wipe a non-existent sticky spot on the table in order to get a peek at the small card in my hands. I gave her a look before rising to my feet and bowing respectfully to her before leaving. I didn't take a single sip of my coffee, but I know for a fact that I'll be going to that audition tomorrow whether my family approves or not. Screw being just a secretary. I want to do something that makes me happy.


	2. The Audition

**If there are any songs mentioned or performed in a chapter, I will always put a youtube link at the bottom of the chapter so you can listen to the song! Enjoy!**

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I choose to spend the rest of my evening at the park, a majority of my time spent there on a swing just contemplating my life. I've always been a quiet girl and I suspect that even if I'd had a different upbringing, I'd never end up being very outspoken around strangers. My mother had been the same way when she was alive. Hihara Hyuga died giving birth to Hanabi when I was just five years old.

The memories I have of her are clear as day despite my young age at the time of loss. She was kind to any and all, much unlike many rich stay-at-home wives. I remember her singing me to sleep very often and feel as though that is the reason I'm so interested in music today. What I remember most about my mother isn't something about her, but about my father. He had been a much different person when she was alive. Hiashi used to smile, if you can believe that. It took him years to accept Hanabi as his daughter since she was unintentionally the cause of his precious wife's death.

It's been years since her untimely death, yet Father hasn't been on a single date. He hired a team of skilled nannies to care for my sister and I and threw himself into his work, which obviously paid off with the current state of the family company. Regardless of a thriving business, he could never get his home-life to be quite as successful. Even though Hanabi still has her teenage rebellious stage to outgrow, she shows mountains more potential than I did at her age. Neji, when around, tries his best to follow in Father's footsteps, but is very much a different person.

He's focused and driven about his career, yes, but when our father isn't around he is actually quite mellow and comforting, if not a little short-tempered when it comes to Hanabi and I getting into shenanigans. He and Hanabi are naturals in our family's line of business and I can't be prouder of them, but also can't help but be terribly jealous of their talents. The eldest daughter that just doesn't have what it takes.

I am, as Father has said on many an occasion, too soft to fit into the business world. I don't feel as though there's anything spectacular about the compassion and empathy I carry for others, but compared to the majority of the Hyuga Family, I'm a saint. It's extremely common for Hyuga parents and children to have just as professional a relationship as business partners would. The parents look at their children as investments towards their bloodline's future instead of family to love and cherish. Anything less than perfect professionalism is unacceptable.

Before long, the sun starts to set and I begin my walk back home. A few of the maids and I have made a deal for when I need to sneak in and out of the house. They keep things hush if I don't tell my father that they don't wear their uniform shoes while working when he's away from the house. Honestly, I'd never tell on them because it seems unnecessary to wear shoes indoors all day long when you're cleaning and keeping up a house and I'm not that type of person anyway. Don't get the wrong impression. I don't sneak out of the house to get into trouble or anything, but to go to the twenty-four hour rec center a few blocks away to practice piano.

That's how I taught myself how to play without anyone knowing. I pay for the membership with cash under an alias so both the rec center and my father are unaware of the situation. A few of the maids wave casually at me as I tiptoe upstairs and into my room. There is an unspoken agreement between us all that we can act more casual when Father isn't around. After showering and going through my skin care routine, I climb into bed and set an alarm on my phone for the morning. Hopefully tomorrow goes as planned.

Kakashi Hatake had mentioned mentioned they'd been searching for someone who looks like me for a while, which was meant to tell me that I was auditioning to be the final member to a group. Would it be an all-girl group or a co-ed group? Evolution is one of the few agencies that actually does co-ed idol groups. My cheeks warm ever so slightly at the thought of singing and dancing with or even around boys. My phone vibrates, signalling I've received a text message. I pull my Hyuga-Brand phone out and feel the heat in my face fade quickly. A number I don't recognize texted me asking what I'm wearing.

I choose to ignore it and not reply. It was probably some random weirdo texting unknown numbers to try and get a rise out of someone. My mind falls back to the audition. He'd mentioned that he wasn't the only person I'd be auditioning in front of. Who else would be there? A groan slips from my lips and I reach under my pillow for my headphones. Restlessness was keeping my mind active. There are plenty of logical reasons for me to feel anxious right now.

First there's the audition, of course, and whether or not I'm going to do well. Second is the fact that I'm going to be in a group and I haven't made a single friend since primary school. Third there's the whole Father disowning me because I'm going through with the audition at all thing. Finally, there's Suigetsu. He's last because if this audition goes well, perhaps I won't have to see him ever again and he will no longer be a threat to me.

Tenten's music plays softly into my ears, bringing a small smile to my lips. Tenten is the musical prodigy of her generation. She's twenty-two and debuted at the age of sixteen from Evolution Entertainment as their second ever solo artist. Her success has been phenomenal and she was skyrocketed into super-stardom before reaching the age of eighteen. I don't like her just because she's popular, though. I like her because her music is real. When she performs, there's a live band, no vocal track backing her up, and the lyrics she sings are written by her. It's rare that the world gets it right with celebrities, but I really feel like she's one of the few that have earned and deserves her success. Before I know it, I'm drifting off to sleep with a dream in my mind that would hopefully become a reality starting with tomorrow's audition.

* * *

I wake up a few minutes before my alarm with a heavy weight in my stomach that feels like a physical manifestation of my nerves. Even my insanely comfortable bed can't calm me, so I decide to just get up and start getting ready for the day. I've decided to just not go to my morning classes at all, even calling the school to make them aware of my impending absence. My father will be livid when he finds out that I pretended to be him over the phone, using a high-tech voice changing feature on my phone during the call. Thank you Hyuga Corporation for your fancy electronics!

If there's time after my audition for me to return to school, then I will, but I'm not going to be too upset if I can't. I haven't missed a single day of school in my entire schooling career, not even if I was sick. Father would make me take medicine and tough it out, so pardon me if I'm not too heart broken about missing one day. I groan as I rise to my feet and stretch out my limbs, a yawn slipping past my lips as I open the door to my over-sized closet. Deciding not to let myself lose my mind on what outfit to wear, I take a deep breath and pretend I'm going to meet some of Father's friends. My outfit ends up being a deep purple, long sleeved dress that ends an inch or two above my knees. There's a thin black sash across the waist area and then the skirt is covered with a thin layer of black lace over the purple fabric. My favorite part of the dress is the pockets!

I pair the dress with a classic pair of black flats and a plain black hand-bag. My hair is brushed out into it's normal straightness, my usually straight across bangs pushed to the side since they've grown out recently. I wear simple diamond earrings and my silver Hyuga smart-watch as accessories with minimal makeup on my face. I've never been very good at makeup, so I stick to the basics and keep it simple in fear of looking like a clown or hooker by accident. Once I'm sure I look the part as an idol-to-be, I grab a granola bar from the kitchen on my way out of the house. Instead of immediately hailing a cab, I do some vocal warm-ups as I walk a few blocks into the business district of the city.

The morning sun shines down on my face and I decide to take a moment to bask in the fresh air. There's not a single cloud in the sky and the temperature is not too hot and not too cold. Before long, the small roads become larger and I feel as though it's time to get a cab for the remainder of my journey across the city. Konoha is one of the biggest cities in the world, having an population of just over thirty million people. It's also one of the most trend-setting locations in the world. Many famous designers and celebrities choose to both work and live in Konoha. A cab pulls over to the side of the road for me not long after I begin searching for one and I slide into the backseat with ease. The driver, an older gentleman with bright red hair and a freckled face, turns to greet me and ask where I'm headed. I give him the address for the agency and he enters it into his phone's GPS. "Would you like to listen to the radio? It's a beautiful day for some music."

I nod with a small smile on my lips. He's correct. Today is a beautiful day. The drive to my audition was quiet and peaceful, both the driver and I humming lightly along to whatever music came onto the radio throughout our journey. Before I know it, we've pulled into the large roundabout that serves as a drop off line for Evolution Entertainment. I hand the driver a generous amount of money, more than enough to cover my bill, and wish him a good day before climbing out of the backseat and smoothing out my clothes. My heart rises into my throat as my eyes finally land on the building my audition would take place in. The building is bigger than most malls and looked similar to one in construction.

The whole front of the building's covered with black glass that reflect almost like mirrors and the crowds coming and going from the building are larger than I expected they'd be. A large amount of paparazzi photographers are seen in the grass to either side of the walkways, cameras snapping away directed to the crowd. It isn't surprising to me that they're here. Evolution has been the agency to discover many a star since it's opening about ten years ago. Each person that I see is very attractive and professional, making me feel slightly uncomfortable when I slip into the mayhem heading toward the towering front doors. My hands clutch my handbag firmly since I'm nervous someone may try to swipe it off me in the crowded area.

My eyes dance around the room once we're past the threshold of the doors. Trendy yet comfortable furniture decorates the enormous lobby and awards from the agencies most famous members dust the modern gray walls. I stumble into the line in front of the desk that has a large sign that says auditions. A handful of young hopefuls are both in front of and behind me. I can't help but compare myself to a few of them, wondering if perhaps they deserve to get in instead of me. Sweat begins forming on the back of my neck due to my anxiety. It's a rare occasion to find me in such a crowded place, surrounded by people I don't know and it's putting me on edge. A pretty brunette girl standing behind me in line taps my shoulder and smiles brightly when I turn to face her, "Hello! Are you Hinata Hyuga?"

I nervously nod and put a finger to my mouth, motioning for her to please keep it quiet and hoping she won't announce it loudly into the room. Her smile falls slightly and her tone becomes annoyed, but she does speak in a voice just loud enough for me to hear, "Don't you think it's kind of unfair for you to be auditioning? You're already famous. How do you think that makes the rest of us feel?" My mouth opens and closes again, trying to find the proper reaction to her jarring questions and finding none. Unsure of what to do, I simply turn my back to her and face the front of the line, stunned to find that it's my turn to check in anyway. A younger woman with shoulder-length dark hair and pretty brown eyes smiles up at me, "Welcome to Evolution Entertainment! My name is Shizune. Do you have an audition scheduled or are you here to schedule one?"

I gasp and quickly fiddle through my handbag until I find the card that Kakashi had given to me, handing it over to her with a shy smile and a red face. The girl behind me, thankfully, doesn't do or say anything else to me, most likely in fear that acting unprofessionally will affect her audition. The secretary, Shizune, studies the writing on the card before rising to her feet and motioning for me to follow her, also motioning for another employee who is behind the counter to take over checking in those here for auditions. I follow her quietly and listen as she gives me a few hushed tips. "Make sure you make eye contact with Kakashi as much as possible when singing, he really likes that. Also, just ignore Tenten being there. Her presence tends to throw people off, but she really is just there to judge you like all the other judges." Wait, Tenten herself is going to be watching my audition?!

My head starts filling a little dizzy and I choose to bite the inside of my cheek instead of having an outburst. If my favorite singer is going to be watching me sing, then I'll just have to do my best to impress her. After walking through hall after winding hall, Shizune finally stops us in front of a heavy white door and shakes my hand with a small smile, "Go in when you feel ready. Good luck, Miss! Do your best!" I give her a thankful smile and watch her leave until she turns a corner and I can no longer see her. Turning to face the large door before me, I take a deep and calming breath. This is it. You can do this, Hinata. You've managed to mess up almost everything you've tried doing all your life, but you can not mess this one up. This is the one that really counts.

My face starts to heat up slightly as my nerves grow and my hand touches the handle of the door. Suck it up, Hinata. Suck it up long enough to ace this audition. With yet another calming deep breath, I push the door open with all of my weight. The room waiting for me looks similar to that of the music rooms at school, with a grand piano positioned in the corner of the room and sound proofing panels on the walls and ceilings, it's just quite a bit larger. On top of that, the music rooms at school don't have a row of chairs near the piano that seat many important people. My eyes shoot straight to Tenten, whom I've never seen in person.

She is even more beautiful when she's really in front of you. Her thick dark brown hair has slight highlights in it and falls in simple waves over her toned shoulders and down her straight back. Big, bright, and brown eyes are accentuated by simple yet effective eye make up and plump lips are tinted with a soft pink lipstick. My feet stick to the ground as the door shut quietly behind me and I'm unsure of what to do until Kakashi rises from his seat next to Tenten and approaches me with a handshake. I accept his greeting with as confident a smile as I can muster, allowing him to lead me to where I'm supposed to stand which is a yard or two in front of those who would be judging me and the piano. He turns to face the others sitting in front of where we stand, "Everyone this is Miss Hinata Hyuga, whom I've invited here to audition for the final position in Prestige."

Tenten's eyes lit up at her words and she spoke up before he could continue, "I'm supposed to be choosing the final member since it's my group, Kakashi!" My confidence falls ever so slightly at her words, but her next words do well to perk me back up. Her eyes move from her boss onto me and a smile dusts her perfect lips, "That being said, I do like the way you look. If you can sing, babe, I think you'll be perfect!" Kakashi motions for her to quiet down so he can introduce the other two sitting to her left. She does as asked, giving me an encouraging smile before he can start talking. He motions to a busty blond woman with a stern grimace on her full lips, "This is Tsunade. She is our award-winning choreographer and has worked with every single idol that is or has ever been signed to Evolution."

I bow respectfully to her, to which she shows no reaction other than a curt nod of acknowledgement. Kakashi doesn't dawdle and gestures to the final person in the room, "Finally, this is Jiraiya. He is a world-renowned vocal coach that works with our idols. He also does one on one training for those he feels have the potential to do amazing things. Both of these people, should you be accepted, will be working with you to help you grow and hone your skills. Tenten will also be a large part of your training because, as she mentioned, the idol group Prestige is hers. She single-handedly came up with the idea and even chose the other three members. We've been looking for the final member for a while now and you physically fit the part perfectly."

I bow to Jiraiya and Tenten as well, both of which offer me a smile in return. Jiraiya rises to his feet and strides over to sit comfortably at the white grand piano, "Let's begin your audition, shall we?" I nod, swallowing nervously as we all wait for Kakashi to take his seat next to Tenten. Tsunade speaks up, "State your name, age, and what you believe your talent is." I clasp my hands together in front of me to keep them from fidgeting anxiously, "M-My name is Hinata Hyuga and I am e-e-eighteen years old. I want to be a s-singer."

Tenten jots my answers down on the clipboard in her hands before smiling back up at me, "I notice you're stuttering a bit. Are you nervous, Hinata?" A small laugh slips past my lips and I nod. Her light laugh sounds like bells in the air and she tosses a hand dismissively, "Don't worry about it. If you pass this audition, that's something we'll work on. Let me ask you another question. What is your favorite song right now, today?" My cheeks heat up even further and I avert my gaze to the white linoleum floor, "Hate/Love by y-you, Tenten."

The idol in question lets out an excited squeal, "You're kidding! That album just dropped a few days ago and it's already your favorite? I'm flattered, Hinata!" My gaze rises to meet hers and I do my best to smile, "Y-Y-You're my favorite a-artist." Tenten looks at the other three in the room haughtily, "I like her." Jiraiya and Kakashi let out chuckles and Tsunade just rolls her eyes. Jiraiya speaks before anyone else can, "If you're such a big fan, why don't you sing that song for your audition today?" All the blood in my face drains. They want me to sing Tenten's song in front of her? What if I mess it up and she's insulted? Tenten lets out another excited squeal, "Oh, I'd love to hear that! Good idea, Jiraiya! Before you sing, though, I have one final question for you, Hinata."

I nod absently at her, still shaken by the fact that they want me to sing her song. "Why do you love music?" The room is silent for a few moments as I try to find the right words to describe my emotions. Soon enough, I answer honestly, emotion rising in my throat as a glimpse of my passion seeps through, "Y-You can sing a song to a thousand different people and that song will h-have a thousand different meanings. I-I-I want to help others not f-feel so alone." For the first time since I've been answering questions, Tenten doesn't offer a vocal replay and just nods seriously as she jots my answer down.

The others nod in a similar fashion for a moment before Jiraiya motions for me to come stand at the piano on the side opposite of the judges and facing them, "Well, here we go, my darling. I wish you the best of luck." I smile gratefully at him and close my eyes as he starts playing the accompaniment on the piano. My face is burning red as I begin singing, but I just pretend I'm in the shower at home singing along to my Bluetooth speaker.

Yesterday I felt like I was burning  
Started wishing for tomorrow  
'Cause I knew I couldn't face the early morning  
Ohh-ohh-ohh, ohh  
The saddest thing of all I can't control it  
I don't want to feel this pain  
Just want to throw it all away and not forget it  
Ohh-ohh-ohh, ohh

Sorrow's here and never leaves  
That's another part of me  
But I deal with it  
Can't be afraid of it  
No

The chorus comes up and I open my eyes, deciding to just go for it with all that I have instead of worrying about all the negative reactions I can possibly receive.

I drove these tears from my eyes  
Just so I could stop the pain  
I lay in bed, playing dead  
Just so I could start again  
Because I loved you, now I hate you

Gave my all to be the best  
But you let me go to waste  
Now every time I see your face  
I know I'm bound to break again  
Because I loved you, now I hate you  
And I can't hurt you  
Now I loved you, now I hate you  
And I can't hurt you

Kakashi motions for Jiraiya to stop playing and I clamp my mouth shut. The room is silent and all the possible rejections they can serve me start flowing through my mind and tears start to form in the corners of my eyes. Self-deprecating thoughts start to seep in. They didn't even let me finish my song. Am I so bad that they can't stand to listen to one more verse? Kakashi and Tenten look at each other before looking back at me. "Do you mind waiting in the hallway while we talk over a few things, Hinata?" I shake my head and walk as normally as possible out into the hallway, feeling four pairs of eyes burning into my back until the door shuts behind me and I fall exhausted to lean against the wall.

I can't hear anything they're saying since the room is sound-proofed. With my back against the wall, I lean down to rest my elbows on my straight knees and put my face in my hands in panic. I did it! I have absolutely no memory of what my voice sounded like while I was singing, but what's important is I went for it! Even if I don't make it, at least I can say I overcame my anxiety and tried my best. My heart's beating so loudly in my throat that it's all I can hear. It seems like ages before the door to the room reopens, when it can't have been more than twenty minutes, and I jump to stand straight for whoever is approaching me.

Tenten motions for me to come back into the room and I do as asked with no words. Once again, I'm stood near the chairs and piano, only this time the other four are also standing. For a few moments, each of them has a blank face until Tenten erupts with a bright smile, "First of all, how're you going to waltz in here and show me up with my own damn song, Hyuga?!" A small laugh of disbelief slips past my lips and my hand moves to cover my mouth, tears forming in my eyes once again. She likes my singing? My heart soars as she steps forward and pulls me into a tight hug, "You'd better be ready, Hinata, because you're in!"

The tears overflow and I let myself hug her back. Mom, can you see me? I did it! Once our celebratory hug is complete, Tenten returns to her spot between Tsunade and Kakashi. Kakashi says nothing, yet gives me an encouraging smile. Jiraiya reaches forward to shake my hand, "I look forward to working with you, Hinata. You have much to learn, but I think we'll make a star out of you, yet." He gives me a friendly wink and I smile up at him, wiping at my tears with my free hand. Tsunade finally uncrosses her arms and offers me a smirk, the closest thing to a smile she's given since I've met her, "I just hope you can dance."

I really, honestly, made it in! All of the drama and negativity in my life seems so small compared to the happiness I feel in this moment. It's all worth the validation. I'll gladly go through it again if it means that I'll end up here once more with this feeling of finally not being useless. Tenten speaks excitedly, pulling me by my hand towards the door, "Awesome! Let's go introduce you to your group!" Oh yeah. I've forgotten about the rest of my group!

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**As promised, here's the link to the song mentioned in this chapter: **** watch?v=-ltJrLdmwns**

**Please let me beg to continue to be showered with attention in the form of reviews/follows/favorites! :D **

**I love you guys!**

**Thanks again for reading and I'll update as soon as I can!**


	3. The First Meeting

**For some reason, my computer keeps trying to change the name Uchiha to Chihuahua and now I can't stop picturing a shaky little dog with a sharingan! ;D**

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I wipe at my tears endlessly as Tenten pulls me through hall after hall until we finally make it to a large elevator in the back of the building. Many people were staring at us on our way to the elevator and I'm not sure if it's because of Tenten or because of my crying. The building is even more beautiful on the inside than it looks on the outside. Plush white carpet lines most halls and rooms, the ones not carpeted having beautiful porcelain linoleum. The walls are somehow the perfect shade of gray that doesn't come off as dull or depressing.

When we are finally in the elevator and it's doors are closed, Tenten smiles brightly at me and gives me another hug, "It's so nice to meet you, Hinata. I think you'll fit in perfectly." I smile up at her, being almost four inches shorter than her normally and she was also wearing heels. The buttons on the elevator let me know that there are four floors in the large building. The bottom floor is the only floor open to the public and is where almost all meetings, auditions, or interviews take place. The second floor is designated to idol and faculty training, being equipped with a large gym, a swimming pool, multiple dance rooms, and multiple music rooms, all equipped with the highest end sound systems available and sound-proofing panels. The third floor is strictly for recording music, music videos, and photo-shoots. Finally, the top floor is filled with idol housing.

Of course the agency doesn't have the room to house each and every idol, but the newer one's are required to stay in their dorm of sorts until their debut, at which point in time they can choose to get a place with their group or by themselves if they want to leave at all. Tenten has a folder in her arms with my name across the front in a professional dark brown font. It could only be my contract and I itch to get a look at it, but hold myself back. I will get plenty of time to read through it later. I tune back into Tenten complementing my dress and how she adores dresses with pockets. This turned into her ranting about how small or even non-existent pockets are in women's clothing these days. "You know why they make them like that, don't you? It's so you'll buy purses and hand-bags to match! The system is rigged, damn it!"

She speaks to me as though we've been friends forever and I find it comforting that she doesn't expect me to be talkative if I don't feel like it. She's hyper, yet respectful. I learn many things I didn't know previously while we wait for the elevator to reach the next floor. Her favorite color is green, she loves sports and video-games, and hates wearing make-up. The way she talks non-stop makes me realize sadly that she must not have many close friends to talk to. It's really a shame because she seems like a delightful person. The elevator finally opens at the second floor and I follow Tenten out and through the much wider hallway than downstairs.

We reach the door that says gymnasium on it and she walks in casually. My face heats up in an instant. The room isn't exactly crowded with idols working out, but the dozen or so that are in there are insanely attractive and scantily clad in their workout clothes. I stare at the back of Tenten's shirt until we finally come to a stop. I step to the side to greet whoever she is introducing me to, only to have a wave of deja vu wash over me. This girl looks very familiar to me. A pastel pink-haired girl with slightly tanned skin and bright green eyes has yet to notice our arrival as she continues punching the punching bag in front of her, her hands wrapped in white tape. She has small but attractive female assets and seems to be in peak shape. The angry look on her face as she pummels the punching bag makes me feel slightly uncomfortable, but it disappears as soon as Tenten speaks her name, "Sakura? I come bringing gifts!"

This Sakura girl's face lights up when she lays her eyes on Tenten and she immediately stops her exercising and faces us full on. She is a real exotic beauty. Is her hair color natural? I'll never ask her because even if it isn't, it's rude to ask such things. "What did you bring me, my love?" She speaks casually with Tenten as though she's close to her. Tenten gestures to me as though I'm a prize this girl has won, "I'm here to introduce you to your final group member! Her name is Hinata and she has an amazing singing voice, but she's shy so be nice!" The girl's eyes fall on me and a look of shock falls onto her attractive features. Her easy smile becomes less so, but doesn't disappear completely as she reaches out to shake my hand professionally, "Hello, Hinata."

The difference in how she addresses me compared to Tenten is so obvious it's almost physically touchable. I awkwardly smile back to her and shake her hand back. Tenten catches the tense vibe and tries to rid of it before it can ruin our first meeting, "So, Hinata, you and Sakura will be sharing a room that's next door to the remaining two members of your group." My eyes train on Tenten as she speaks, but I can feel Sakura's green eyes burning a hole in my face. Sakura's watch starts beeping and she looks down at it in surprise, "Oh no! I'm going to be late for my lesson with Tsunade. I have to go, you guys! Later!" She spares no second glances for us and hurries out of the room. Tenten and I walk more slowly out of the room and back toward the elevator, "Do you two know each other? She's normally much nicer than that." I shook my head, "N-Not that I'm aware..."

She seems very familiar, but I can't put my finger on where I've seen her before. Perhaps it's one of those things where she'd been at the same mall as me on multiple occasions or something. Tenten ponders for a moment, but ends up shaking it off, "Well, maybe she just has something on her mind, right now. I'm sure she'll warm up to you! Let's show you your room, shall we?" I nod with an uneasy grin. I hope she's right and Sakura warms up to me. I'd hate to make it this far just to end up in a group with girls who don't like me. In no way would that make me want to give up and quit, but it would put a damper on things. As we wait for the elevator to come back, Tenten continues speaking while checking her cell phone for messages, "The rooms are set up for two people each and you will have separate bedrooms, a living-room, and a small kitchen for the two of you to share."

She stops there and a question runs through my mind, "U-Um, what about a r-r-restroom?" She looks up from her phone with a flirty smile, "Oh! Sakura and your's room will be connected to your other group's room by the bathroom. Don't worry about space because it is a very large bathroom and should have plenty of counter space for make up and stuff." I nod absently. I don't really have much to put in there anyway. "Sakura has actually been staying in my room up until now because your room has been under remodel for a few weeks. In fact, Sakura hasn't met the other two members of your group, either!" Really? At least I won't be the only one who is just now getting to know everyone! That makes me feel slightly better.

"Kakashi and I would like to have dinner with you and your group this evening since you're all officially a formed group! Does meeting in the lobby at four-thirty sound alright to you?" I nod eagerly, already feeling hungry since I've only had a granola bar today. I glance at my watch and see that it's only half past two in the afternoon. The elevator door opens and we enter it in silence since there are a few others already inside. The ride to the top floor is quiet and maybe a little awkward. The others in the elevator are all male and seem quite a bit more seasoned than I am. One has tan skin and bright blonde hair similar to Naruto's and reminds me suddenly of my feelings for him. Would he be proud of me for taking a chance like this if he knew about it? Is he going to be interested in me if I become a famous singer? Will I finally get the chance to tell him how I feel? Does he even remember who I am?

The doors of the elevator soon re-open and Tenten lets the young men exit first, turning to me afterwards and speaking in a bored voice as though she's reading an assignment to a class, "Sakura and you are in room 111, your other two band-mates in 113. My room is room 112, just across the hall from both of you. We're the first rooms in the hall except for one, 110, which is a solo room that's yet to be filled." I listen intently as she speaks, hanging onto each word. We stop in front of the first room on the left, 111, which is to be Sakura and I's room. The space on the wall between our room's door and our band-mates' door has a large metal decal with our group's name on it. I look further down the hall and see that a few other groups have similar decals. Tenten's room has a decal directly on the door since she's a solo artist. It seems odd that someone who's been so famous for so long still lives in the company dorms instead of buying her own condo, but I don't mention it in fear I'll offend her. She hands me a key to the room and gestures for me to unlock the door and take a look.

I do as requested and fumble to unlock the door, pushing open the door slowly once it's unlocked. The room takes my breath away. It's everything I've dreamed of having but couldn't because it isn't the Hyuga way. Modern yet youthful furniture is already in the living-room and kitchen, colorful pillows and throw blankets decorating the couches. When I step into the room, I'm in the center of the entire dorm, the living-room on my left and the kitchen on my right. On the wall to the left of the kitchen is a doorway that's cracked open just enough for me to see that it's the restroom. Across from the front door, which is where I stand, there are two doors a few meters apart that are also open so I can see that they're meant to be Sakura and I's bedrooms. Every room is furnished in expensive yet tasteful furniture and decorations. My breath hitches in my throat and a hand comes up to cover my quivering lips. I love it. It's perfect.

Tenten pushes me lightly further into the room, "Don't be nervous, take a look around! It's all yours! I'm just going to set these papers on the desk of your room for you to go over before we meet for dinner later and then I'll give you some space to familiarize yourself, okay?" I don't answer her because I'm too stunned by the generosity of the agency. I've read articles about how some agencies offer their trainees the bare minimum in housing and treatment. Evolution is obviously nothing like those. Tenten places the folder on a desk in the room further from the restroom and gives me one more tight hug before heading for the door, stopping slightly to turn back, "Oh! Also feel free to have your personal items delivered whenever you're ready. Just let Shizune know who's bringing them so she can let them through."

I give her a grateful smile as she leaves. Today has been the greatest day I can remember and it's not even three in the afternoon yet! I cautiously sit down on the large couch and let myself fall back onto the small pile of pillows that rest there, in a complete daze of happiness as my eyes slowly re-study the room. Tears once again prick at the corner of my eyes as my giddiness rises up into my throat. A choked, yet happy, sob slips past my lips and I cover my mouth with one of my hands. An unfamiliar emotion is rearing it's head and I believe it to be pride. I did this for myself with no help from my family. Hiashi Hyuga made no calls to urge the agency to accept me, that's for sure!

My cellphone starts vibrating in one of my dress pockets and I fish it out, pulled reluctantly from my daze. Father is calling me. A nervous sweat begins to form on the back of my neck and I debate answering it, but choose instead to let it ring through to voicemail. He doesn't leave one and instead I receive a lengthy text message from him. It says, "_I hope you realize your cell phone has a GPS tracking feature and I know exactly where you are, Daughter. I expect you to be home within the next two hours or there will be severe consequences_." I click my phone's screen a few times until I'm able to call Neji.

It's too late to go back now, Father. You're going to be so angry when you find out what I've done! "Hinata, what are you doing? Your father is livid." Hello to you too, Cousin. "C-Can I trust you, N-Neji?" There's a short pause on the other end of the line and he soon replies in a lower voice, "What did you get yourself into, Cousin?" A loving warmth spreads through my chest and I smile into the receiver, "Please help me and g-g-get my belongings from my room p-packed up and delivered here. I'm m-m-m-moving out." The sound of quick shuffling then meets my ear and I can only guess that he's creating distance between any possible eavesdroppers before he replies. He soon replies with disbelief heavy on his tongue, "You must be joking, Hinata. He's never going to let you stay there."

Angry red seeps into my vision and I can't control my reply, stunning even myself with the confidence with which I speak, "He doesn't have to let me do anything! I'm eighteen years old!" The line is silent once again and I quickly utter a short apology for my outburst. Neji takes him time replying, most likely thinking of the pros and cons of helping me. He finally lets out a defeated sigh, "Fine. I'll be there as soon as I can." He hangs up before I can even thank him, but I don't take it personally. It is pretty selfish of me to ask for his help when I know just how hard he's worked to get where he is with the Hyuga Corporation. If my father finds out that he's helping me, he may ruin his career just to spite him. I hang up the phone as well and rise to head into my new bedroom, the door on the left side of the far wall.

My eyes take in the soft yellow blankets and lavender pillows with joy. They breathe in the smell of air-freshener and clean linens. My new bed is directly to the left when I enter the room, a white nightstand being the only thing in-between the doorway and the bed itself. A plain white desk lay in the corner of the room, a closet a few feet away from it, on the wall to my right when I enter. The doors to the closet are covered with mirrors so I can see how I look after dressing each morning. The corner of the room opposite the desk has a pretty white dresser with a large mirror behind it. Right next to the desk and against the wall across from the bed sits an obviously brand new keyboard. How had they known that I play the piano? Did Sakura's room have one, too? I left my room and peeked nosily into hers, confirming that she did not have one. How odd. There's just an empty space between between her dresser and desk. I head back into my room and sit down at the pretty desk.

The chair is cushioned and comfortable. My hands flip open the folder waiting for me there before I can stop them. The contract, as I'd suspected, lay freshly printed waiting for me to read over and sign. A schedule is also waiting for me and I curiously look over that first. They've scheduled for me to have one on one training sessions for the remainder of the week with Tsunade and Jiraiya both and also a few solo recording sessions. There are initials at the bottom of each day to let me know who I'll be training with going forward past this week and a legend at the bottom of the page with the names belonging to each initials. Curiously, I look to see what Sakura's last name is. Haruno. I pull my phone out and pull up Facebook to see if maybe she has one, strictly to find out how I know her.

To my surprise, we're already friends! It says that we've been friends for just shy of four years and I finally put two and two together. She's the pink-haired girl that Karin and Suigetsu used to bully. We'd never really been friends, but we'd often share looks of understanding in the halls if we happened to catch each other's eye. When did we become friends on Facebook? I can't remember, but immediately feel guilty for not recognizing her. Is she angry at me for not bringing it up? Will she be mad at me if I do? With a sigh, I look down at the other two names at the bottom of the page and nearly drop my phone in shock. Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara Subaku are the names of the other two members of our group and those are very clearly male names.

So, it turns out that we are a co-ed group after all. I'd thought I'd prepared myself for this, but as I reread the names again and again, I realize I'm more nervous than before. It doesn't affect my excitement to begin working as a musician, but it definitely doesn't make me more excited. Naruto's face pops up in my mind and a small hint of an idea occurs to me. Perhaps I should do my best to befriend these two members, not just because it's the right thing to do since we're all in the same group but to help grow comfortable being around males in general. With a swell of anticipation in my chest, I decide that the next time Naruto sees me I'll be a different person. Gone will be the shy and alone Hinata and here will be a confident and popular one. He'll have no choice but to fall for me! My heart beats faster at the mere thought of Naruto confessing his feelings for me instead of the other way around.

Back to the schedule, the second week will be filled with our whole group practicing and recording as a whole. Our debut will be the Wednesday of the third week and our album will be released to the public the Friday after. We'll be debuting with a live performance on The LMC, The Live Music Channel. It's the most popular channel on live television and is often the birthplace of legendary performances. Each day they have a guest celebrity host and a different celebrity performance. They host more than just live performances, though. There's always a small interview before the performance. Apart from the celebrity guests, the channel is a main source for who and what's trending, first showings of new music videos, and even has a monthly magazine that sums up what happens in Konoha's celebrity world each month. Less than three weeks strikes me as a short amount of time to be in training before debut and I worry that I won't be prepared in time. How long have the other three members been here? Will they outshine me because they've had more time to train?

With worry after worry seeping into my thoughts, I sit the schedule to the side and focus on my contract. There's a lot of legal information in the beginning, stating things like if I purposely misrepresent the agency to try and deface it, I will be dropped immediately and be forced to repay any and all money I've made up to that point back to the agency. It also states that I can't be represented by any other talent agencies for the life of my contract. Among other appearance agreements, it states that I'll readily wear brands that the agency wants me to in order to support the company's growth and relationships with others. Finally, I see that the length of the contract is only two years, at which point our whole group can choose to resign a contract for a five year period.

The two-year contract is kind of a trial period to see how things go and if we end up liking the direction we're taking, we can choose to sign a lengthier one. I've been thinking about auditioning for agencies for a long time and did plenty of research through the years. The normal contracts for an idol group are seven to ten years long so it seems odd to me that the seven year contract is split into two smaller ones. However, I do see the logic behind it. Evolution doesn't want unhappy talent that's stuck in a group they don't want to be in. They'll never produce the quality of work they're capable of if they're not at peak inspiration. Maybe this is why Evolution's members are more likely than others to become great stars.

I skim through the rest and most of it is pretty self-explanatory. When I finally reach the final page, it's nearly four thirty and I sign in my best handwriting on the marked line. When the ink dries on the page, my place within Evolution Entertainment is officially solidified. I glance back down at the folder and notice sheet music is also included. A glance at my watch has me darting for the door in order to make it to dinner on time and I decide in the back of my mind to skim over the music when I get back. The elevator takes it time getting back to the lobby's level, stopping at each floor to both let people off and let people off. By the time it reaches the floor and I make it to the lobby, it's nearly a quarter until five.

Panic is shooting through my body like electricity. The lobby's public hours end at four in the evening, so just the small group of people waiting for me are in the large area. I count the number of people in the group before approaching and notice that we are missing one more person. My eyes quickly focus on each person there as I finally am mere feet away. There's Kakashi, Tenten, and two very attractive young men. So Sakura is the only one that's still missing. The group grows silent as I approach, but it only lasts for a moment because Tenten excitedly wraps an arm around my shoulder and begins introductions, "Finally! I was worried you'd dipped on us! This is Hinata, you guys. Be polite to her or else."

Her tone is joking, but I somehow feel like she means it. I study the two young men in front of me as they study me right back. One grabs my attention more than the other and that's mostly because he towers over all of us, even Kakashi. He has a very fit body, tan skin, brooding dark eyes, and messy black hair pushed back out of his perfect face. He stares down his nose at me with a frown as though he isn't satisfied with me, but doesn't say anything.

The other boy is still quite tall, just not as tall as his partner. In contrast to the taller one's dark appearance, this one is bright. He has blood red hair, pale skin, and bright teal eyes. He offers me a small smile and I get the vibe that he, too, is a little bit shy. His voice is soft and smooth, but not timid as he speaks, "Hello Hinata. My name is Gaara. It's nice to meet you." My cheeks ignite at his boy-ish charm and his face turns a little red in reaction to mine. The taller male scoffs in disbelief and both of us look to him in confusion. He looks past us and shakes his head in annoyance, "Finally. It seems neither of the ladies in our group are punctual."

All of us look in the direction he's glaring and see Sakura sprinting towards us from the direction of the hallway, sweat still coating lightly dusting her forehead from her dance lesson. "I'm so sorry! Tsunade didn't know about our dinner and kept me a bit late." Tenten introduced her to the boys in a similar way she had me. The taller one, who I've deducted is Sasuke, gives her the same look he'd given me, but she doesn't take his glare in silence, "You know, it's rude to look at people like that. You should treat me better since we're going to be a team for the next two years." He rolls his eyes, but does change his expression to a much more neutral one.

She and Gaara meet eyes and it's as though time stops for a moment before a pretty smile meets her lips, "I remember you! We met at the karaoke place, right? Who would've thought we'd be in the same group, huh?" He nods with a red face in reply and I glance over to see Tenten visibly struggling to hold back her happiness. She interrupts the two and motions for us all to stand next to each other so she can see how we look as a group. We do as told and she pulls out her phone to snap a photo, "Smile! One day you'll look back at this picture and feel nostalgic! Oh, Sakura you're so sweaty!"

The pink-haired girl shrugs as though there's nothing that can be done. Kakashi is silent through everything and I get the feeling that he often just watches instead of speaking so he doesn't miss anything. It's a very professional trait to have. We all head out the front doors and are immediately bombarded with an onslaught of flashes from the paparazzi's cameras. Tenten and Kakashi handle it like pros, ignoring them so well you'd think they don't even notice it. I simply dip my head slightly, as do the rest of my band-mates. The Hyuga doesn't normally tolerate paparazzi so it's not something I'm too terribly used to. I'm usually surrounded by guards when I'm out in public with my family. We slide into a large stretch limo awkwardly.

I imagine once we're all not around the CEO of the agency, we'll get to know each other a bit more naturally, but since he's watching us all with trained eyes we choose to behave like mature young adults. I'm seated next to Tenten and the door. Sakura still acts put off toward me, choosing to act like I'm not even there instead of staring uncomfortably like earlier. I try my best to ignore it. Since we'll be rooming together, she'll have to talk to me at some point otherwise she'll just be making her own life a living hell by acting so odd all the time. My hands are shaking ever so slightly with anxiety. Just this morning, my life was quite different. Never would I have guessed I'd be where I am now when I woke up this morning.

Tenten breaks the silence and pulls out her phone once again, "Let's take a selfie!" Sakura and I lean in on either side of her and smile. Jealousy strikes through me when I see the resulting photo. Even sweaty with no make-up, Sakura looks amazing. She'll outshine me on-stage for sure. Before long we've arrived at a small, hole in the wall, restaurant and are seated at the only table big enough to accommodate the six of us. Sakura and I are seated facing Gaara and Sasuke with Kakashi and Tenten facing each other at the ends of the table. Kakashi finally speaks up after we've ordered our meals, "If you're all wondering why I've brought you to a place like this, let me explain. This place was my first job as a teenager. It used to be so popular, but look at it now."

We are the only customers in the small building, but the place does have it's charming little home-y feel. "This restaurant is a great place, but the staff isn't the best so they've lost their sparkle. I've brought you here to teach a lesson. A company can have the best product, be it food or music, but if you don't have the correct people representing it, it will ultimately fail." I nod to myself, fumbling with my fingers under the table. What he's saying makes sense. He's really trying to drill it into our heads that he will not tolerate misrepresentation of his company and I can't blame him. It's a huge risk to let young adults go out in the world and say they work for you and you have their backs. The potential for disaster is very high. I feel Sakura glance down at my hands and quickly lace my fingers together in hopes she doesn't notice my anxiety. She shows no reaction that tells me if she does or doesn't and our food quickly arrives. There's light conversation at the table while we eat, but I don't say much unless directly addressed. Near the end of the meal, Tenten blurts out eagerly, "Okay, I have to ask. Hinata and Sasuke, have you two ever met before? I don't know, for a family function or something?"

I'm absolutely baffled as to why she'd think that I know the gorgeous yet obviously stuck-up young man across from me. I shake my head a bit and look over to him for confirmation, but he nods. My confusion deepens, "W-We have?" He scoffs, "I'm not surprised you don't remember. We were young." I wait for him to go into further detail, as does Tenten, but he doesn't. After a long and awkward silence, Kakashi clears his throat and rises to his feet, "Shall we return to the agency?" The ride home is just as silent as the way there, but Tenten bursting out once we're pulling into the agency's roundabout draws all of our attention, "Oh my word, who is this?"

She already has her seat-belt off and is on her knees on the seat so she can peer more closely out the window. She has a smile on her lips and a slight blush on her cheeks. I follow her gaze and feel my heart soar at the sight of Neji unloading his vehicle of my suitcases. Once our limo is at a complete stop, I climb eagerly out and approach my cousin, "N-Neji! I can't thank you e-e-enough for the help." He turns at my voice and locks eyes with me before looking back to see who else is getting out of the vehicle I was in. Tenten strides confidently up to him and offers to help, "Do you need a hand, handsome?"

He looks down at her with a frown, "No, I have everything under control, thank you." It seems as though Tenten isn't used to rejection and she freezes in shock. Neji pulls the two large suitcases behind him as he heads for the front doors of the agency. Kakashi does little to hide his amused chuckle as he pats Tenten lightly on the back, "Now there's something you don't see everyday." We follow my cousin up to the front doors and Gaara holds open the door for us. Kakashi politely excuses himself to take care of some paperwork in his office, taking my signed contract from me before leaving. Once we make it up to the top floor, Tenten follows Sakura, Neji, and I into our room. The other members of our group head silently to their room without offering any goodbyes.

Once my suitcases are placed safely in my bedroom, Neji faces me with his usual straight face, "I hope you understand the severity of the decision you've just made." I nod, trying to ignore both Sakura and Tenten's heart eyes directed toward my cousin, "I-I do, Cousin. T-T-This is w-what I want." He nods silently, a grimace on his face. He and I both know what this means. I'll no longer be welcome back home once Father finds out that I'm not going to obey his wants. I'll eventually be disowned from the family. Tenten tries again to flirt with Neji as he turns to leave, "Do you want me to walk you back out to your car? It's no trouble at all." He shakes his head no, politely removing her hand from his arm, "I appreciate the offer, ma'am, but I'm capable of finding my way alone."

He looks back up at me one last time before leaving, "Goodbye, Cousin." Once the door is shut behind him, Tenten throws herself dramatically onto the sofa and her voice is muffled by the pillows she buries her face in, "God, there's nothing hotter than a man who doesn't seem interested!" Sakura silently heads into the kitchen to start brewing some tea. I stand awkwardly in the middle of the room, unsure of what I should do. Tenten sits back up after pouting for just a moment more and pats the seat next to her. I sit down politely and she holds my hands in-between hers, "We need to talk. How are you just not going to tell me you have a hottie like that for a cousin? How old is he? Does he have a girlfriend?" My face turns more red with each word that leaves her mouth, "I-I-I...He's twenty-t-t-three and is single!"

I one hundred percent ship it. Who wouldn't want to have Tenten as a relative? Neji needs someone as energetic and outgoing as her to help him loosen up anyway. She squeals loudly, "YES! Can I have his number?" I hand my phone over to her so she can get his number from it. Normally I won't give numbers out so easily, but whatever Tenten wants from me, I'll give her. She accepts my phone and starts ranting about how fancy it is and how she's been meaning to upgrade hers to the newest model like mine. One of the perks of being a Hyuga is getting the newest merchandise for free. Once she's successfully swiped Neji's number, she starts texting him a message and leaves the room after thanking me a million times for helping her.

The door shuts behind her and all is silent and awkward once again. Sakura pours herself a glass of tea and heads straight into her room, shutting the door behind her without a look back. I sigh and head back into my room to start unpacking my suitcases. She can't hate me forever, right? There's no way she can keep up the silent treatment.

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	4. The First Day

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The next morning soon comes and I wake up feeling surprisingly well rested for my first night in a new place. The bed the agency's provided for me is even more comfortable than the one I have at home or maybe it's just because I know my father is nowhere near me that makes me feel more at rest. Once Tenten left and Sakura'd retreated into her own room to unpack, I'd spent the rest of the night unpacking and reading over the sheet music provided to me in my folder. To my relief, Prestige's style of music isn't set into one genre. Instead, we'll be dabbling into many different genres. This alone raises my spirits that may have been slightly dampened by Sakura's clear dislike for me. I don't want our group to be a one-trick pony. We'll reach a wider variety of fans by broadening our musical horizons. On top of that, we'll have more room for self-expression when the time comes for us to write our own music.

Tenten's voice hollering from the living room has me jumping out of bed in fright. How'd she even get in? I look to the side once I'm out of my room and see Sakura coming out of her room in a similar state as I, but her expression is much less pleasant than it was yesterday. Note to self: Sakura Haruno is not a morning person. Tenten is standing in the middle of the living room with one of her hands on her hip and the other holding a drink carrier with four drinks from Starbucks, "Good morning, my lovelies! I hope you slept well! I come bearing gifts because I know I'd better have something sweet if I'm waking up the beast!" She sticks her tongue out at Sakura, who's eyes light up slightly as Tenten moves to hand her a drink. She hands me one as well and I cautiously take a sip, eyes widening when the bitter taste of black coffee meets my tongue.

I'm tempted to spit it out, but don't have anywhere to do so and am forced to swallow it. Both Sakura and Tenten laugh at my disgusted face. Tenten herself wags a finger at me as she sets down the remaining two drinks on the coffee table and heads toward the bathroom, "What did you expect, Hinata? You shouldn't load yourself up with sugar and milk right before your singing lessons! You'd better get used to drinking black coffee sooner than later." A sigh of defeat slips past my lips and I slump down onto the couch and continue sipping on my drink, not happy about it in the slightest.

Sakura either has already adjusted to it's taste or likes black coffee anyway because she's drinking hers like it's water and she's dying of thirst. Tenten soon reappears with two disheveled boys in two through the bathroom that connects both of our rooms. My face brightens up at the sight of sleepy and handsome boys. Sasuke doesn't even have a shirt on, his very fit and toned torso free for all of us to take in. He throws himself down on the couch beside me as though he hasn't noticed my presence yet and helps himself to a coffee. Gaara is already dressed for the day, but still seems tired. He thanks Tenten for the drink before sitting politely on one of the giant bean bags sitting to either side of the couch to sip it in silence. Sakura sits on the bean bag opposite of him and we all stare up at Tenten. She obviously has something to tell us or she wouldn't have woken us all up early.

She starts speaking without prompt, "After leaving you all alone last night, I did some thinking and I've decided to confront the issue as a group so don't hate me for it." My heart beat perks up in anxiety. Is she going to tell us that she's changed her mind about me and I'll be kicked from the group? Where will I go now? I can't simply go home after what I did yesterday. My favorite singer then turns to Sakura and holds her hands out to her sides as though she has no other choice but to confront her, "Sakura, babe, what is your problem with Hinata? Don't try to lie and say there's nothing wrong because it's dead obvious something's the matter. I know Hinata's too shy to confront you herself so I'm doing it for her and the sake of this group getting along."

Sakura chokes on the mouthful of coffee she has and takes a few moments to clear her wind-pipe before glaring at the ground with a red face, "Hinata hasn't done anything wrong." I look over at her in shock. If I haven't done anything to offend her, then why is she giving me the silent treatment? We all wait in silence for her to continue. I notice out of my peripheral that Sasuke has fallen asleep with his coffee in his hand and struggle to contain the amused smile that threatens to reach my lips. I reach over silently and slip the drink from his hands and set it back on the table before he can spill it. Sakura then continues with her confession, "Hinata and I went to school together a few years ago and we were bullied by the same person. This person u-uh..well..."

I can tell she's having trouble continuing and do so for her, "They c-c-cut her hair in f-front of her class." Tenten gasps loudly and puts a hand in front of her mouth in shock, "You're kidding! Who is she? I'll kick her ass!" Her face soon becomes confused and she points at Sakura in distrust, "Wait, why would you be avoiding Hinata if you were both bullied?" Sakura finally looks up at me with tears welling up in her eyes, "It's because I know the family she comes from. I assumed you would act differently now since you come from such a high-end family and know how much of a loser I was. I'm so sorry, Hinata. I should have talked to you about it first thing." An empathetic wave of emotion rushes heat into my face and I nod, "I-It's fine. I-I-I understand. I just w-want to be friends."

She reaches up with her free hand and grabs my free one, "Can we start over?" A smile slips onto my lips and she returns it with her own. We shake on it and all seems well once more. Tenten squeals excitedly, shaking Sasuke from his sleep, "Yay! We're all friends now! All that's left is to let you know that after your final lessons each day, you're all expected to spend some time together as a group to get to know each other before you debut. If you're planning on leaving the building, just text me where and when you'll be back. Okay, I'm off! Work hard today!" After her announcement is complete and she is out of the room, the four of us sit and sip our coffees in silence. The familiar ding of a text message received on my phone is muffled by my hand and I flip over the device to see who it's from. That same unknown number's sent me yet another text. _"Don't forget about our meeting after school today, Hinata! I can't wait to see you!" _

All the blood in my face leaves and panic strikes through my limbs. This can only be one of two people and I think I know which one it is just by the text they'd sent the other day: Suigetsu. I feel Sasuke move to my right and quickly move to click the screen off. He wasn't even trying to peek at my phone, but It's better to be safe than sorry. I don't need to trouble my new group-mates with my drama. Sakura is the first to finish her drink and rises to her feet to stretch out her limbs, letting out a loud yawn in the process, before going into the kitchen to toss her cup in the trash bin. She walks towards the bathroom and flashes a mischievous smile back at us before entering, "Dibs on first shower!" and then shuts the door behind her. The two boys look surprised at her sudden change in character and I'm sure my face looked similar. Not ten minutes ago she was a grumpy mess of morning dread. I rose to my feet to head into my room, only to be stopped by Gaara's soft voice that's slightly more gravelly since it's morning, "Wait! Hinata, who is the person who bullied you guys?"

I froze on the spot, turning awkwardly to face them with an uneasy smile, "Y-You wouldn't know t-them." Gaara's eyes widened, "Wait, there's more than one person?" A red sheen raises to dust my face. The more I talk, the more I accidentally give out information. Gaara's innocent looking teal eyes maybe aren't so innocent! I nod and try once more to head to my room, this time Sasuke's deep voice stopping me in my tracks, "One of them's a guy, right?" I don't turn back to face them because the panic on my face would give me away, but it seems the two are smarter than I think they are. "I can tell by how both you and Sakura act around us." What is he talking about? I act the same around everyone, right? In fact, Sakura even stood up to him yesterday, right? As I thought back, a sudden realization hit me. Her hands were shaking and in fists when she'd talked directly to him. Do I also have a telltale habit that I'm unaware of?

I'm pretty nervous around everyone so what can the difference possibly be? I take a deep breath before turning to face them with a smile of false-confidence, "I-I don't know w-w-what you're talking about." I shuffle quickly into my room and shut the door behind me before they can get another statement in. After a moment, I hear the front door open with the sound of the two leaving our room. Tears prick at my eyes as I glance down at the text message from Suigetsu once again. They had a point. The only real male contact I've had with non-family has been with Suigetsu and every meeting is more terrifying than the last. Has that left some kind of mark on the way I present myself around unfamiliar men?

* * *

Once Sakura is done showering, Gaara, Sasuke, and I take turns using the shower and head off to our individual lessons. I have singing lessons first things first and head to my lesson a few minutes early in case I get lost in the maze of hallways. The room I'm searching for is on the second floor with the rest of the training rooms. The halls are lively with both trainees and staff crowding the halls on their way to their own training sessions. I do my best to dip and squeeze around everyone and not be in the way. Finally, with just a minute or two left before I'll officially be late, I find the room and cautiously enter. Jiraiya is playing a grand piano very similar to the one he'd played during my audition.

He plays a soft melody and doesn't notice me until I'm just a few footsteps away. His fingers cease their movement and he turns on the bench to offer me an encouraging smile, "Good Morning, Miss Hyuga. Are you excited for your first lesson?" I nod with a nervous smile. He'd stated before that I had a lot to learn. Hopefully I can be impressive enough to stand out in time for our debut. His smile falters as he glances at his watch, "Tenten is late, once again. Do you mind if we go ahead and start warming up?" I shake my head, intent on getting everything I can out of these lessons. He begins playing the scales and instructs me to sing along with them to warm up. No sooner than we'd gone through one set of notes does he stop and give me a challenging smirk, "Alright, Hinata, time to start getting some beginners tips. I want you to stretch your arms as high above your head as you can without getting to your tiptoes."

I do as told, feeling a little foolish. "Perfect, now I want you to drop your arms and relax your shoulders, but keep your torso raised as though your hands are still up." I once again follow his instructions, singing along as he continues playing the scales. I notice it's suddenly easier to breath. I can sing much longer without breathing in-between notes. We continue warming up for a few minutes, but when we get to the higher notes and I start obviously struggling to hit the notes, he stops once again. "Now I know you're capable of hitting these notes. Let me help you. Keep in mind that you need to lift your torso at all times." I smile, feeling stupid because the moment he stopped playing the piano, I'd let my body fall back into it's normal posture.

He let out a small laugh, "Good good. Now when we get to these higher notes, I don't want you to back off because you're unsure if you can do it. Know for a fact that you can and let your voice reflect that. Open the inside of your mouth wider, but have your lips closed a bit more than they would be on lower notes. Also, do you know what your soft pallet is?" I shake my head with a red face. Today's lesson has me feeling like an idiot. He shakes his head, "No worries, that's why we have these lessons. I want you to yawn, and it should be easy considering how early it is, but I want you to pay attention to the ceiling of your mouth when you do. Toward the back of your mouth, you can run your tongue along it to feel it, the roof of your mouth is very soft and it rises when you yawn. Can you feel it?" I yawn and run my tongue back like he says to and immediately understand his words, nodding eagerly.

"When you sing those high notes, you should actively be rising that soft pallet. This helps you produce a healthy high note instead of a stressed one that can potentially damage your vocal chords. Let's try again, shall we?" The door to the room suddenly shoots open and we both look over to see a grinning Tenten rushing over to stand next to me, "Sorry I'm late! I was in a meeting with Kakashi. Where are we?" She tosses her purse onto the floor beside the piano and joins me in singing warm-up exercises. I keep in mind the tips Jiraiya has given me and truly do feel and hear the difference. It's somewhat hard to focus on my own voice when someone as seasoned and skilled as Tenten is singing right next to me.

Our lesson continues for a few hours and by the time we're released, it's time for lunch. Tenten takes me out to a cute little restaurant and we both order meals off the healthy menu since we'd eaten not so well at dinner last night. It's a comfortable silence for a few moments while we eat, but she soon speaks up in a slightly guilty voice, "So, Hinata, I have a question for you." I look at her as I chew a bite of my peppered salmon, waiting for her to continue. "I'm super interested in Neji, but he's mad that I got his number from you instead of asking him for it instead and he won't text me back. Can you find out where I can _accidentally_ run into him or something so I can apologize?" Thankfully by the time she finishes her question, I've swallowed my bite and don't choke on it.

The Tenten is having trouble with boys, and not just any boy but Neji. I suppose he is a difficult person to get to know since he's so reserved, not to mention blunt. He's had many partners through the years, but they never last long because he doesn't understand the importance of subtlety. If something is bothering him, he says it straight out and it often hurts his partners' feelings and they leave him. A part of me in nervous that he'll do the same to Tenten if she gets too close, but she's also much more self-assured than any of the women he's been with. Something tells me she'll actually prefer that he is this way compared to not being able to speak up because he's afraid of losing her. I nod and motion for her to give me a moment to do some digging.

After just a few moments, I find out that he's going to be at the grand opening of Evolution's new dance club tonight in order to represent the company. I bet Father regrets agreeing to that right about now. He'd been hearing the rumors that the Hyuga family is considered boring and stuck up, so he agreed to help publicize a few clubs, restaurants, and even theme parks in the area to help change this and simultaneously get Neji out in front of the public so he can get used to a public relations setting. Tenten's eyes light up and she grabs my hands eagerly, "For real!? I'm cutting the ribbon for that tonight! Sweet!"

We go back to eating once she's done thanking me and we soon return to the agency so I can head to my first dance lesson with Tsunade. I find the room I'm meant to be in very quickly this time, growing slowly comfortable with the layout of the training floor. It looks like any other dance studio would: clean floors, a mirror covering the entirety of the western wall of the room, sound panels anywhere they can fit on the walls, and an expensive sound system sitting on the floor in the corner. As soon as I step foot into the room, Tsunade presses play on a remote in her hands and loud dance music soon starts blasting through the speakers to the point that I can't hear anything she's saying. After reading her lips to the best of my ability, I realize she wants me to try and follow her movements as she does some simple dancing to the quick-paced song.

I do my best with a bright red face. The moves she's doing are more confident and risque than what I'm used to. Like I said before, I've only ever done ballroom dancing, like the waltz. Despite this, I do my very best to impress my new teacher. After about ten minutes of nonstop dancing, Tsunade stops and turns the music off with the click of a button. I am gasping for air at this point, heavy drops of perspiration running down the sides of my face. She speaks in a matter-of-fact voice as I desperately chug water from my bottle. " I'm impressed, Hyuga. I didn't expect someone from your family to be capable of dancing at all, let alone be decent. I think we'll be able to shape you up in time for you debut."

I sit my water bottle down and let out a sigh of relief, "R-Really?! That's great!" She puts her hands on her hips and motions with her head for me to get back onto my feet, "We're going to jump right in and start learning choreography for your debut performance, get up. Follow along as much as you are able." I get up as told and stand next to her in the mirror to follow as much as I can. She clicks the music back on, but this time it's the demo version of the title track for Prestige's first album, We Don't Talk Anymore. There's definitely a difference between what I read on the sheet music and how it sounds on the demo, but that's most likely because the sheet music is written for a piano accompaniment and not multiple instruments.

Tsunade's dance moves are cohesive and fluid, much like the guitar riff in the song. More importantly, her moves involve a bit more gyration and sexuality than I'm prepared for. Once the song has run it's course and I've given my best effort to follow along with her movements, Tsunade turns the stereo back off and faces me with hands on her hips, "I'm only going to say this once so listen carefully. You need to sex yourself up a bit. You look like a nun trying to be sexy for the first time in their life." My face erupts with heat. Am I really that awkward?

"H-How am I supposed t-t-to do that?" A hint of a smirk graces her lips and she offers me some advice, "Don't tell Kakashi I'm recommending this, but maybe you should practice with one of your male group-mates. That Sasuke seems like he'd be open to teaching you some tricks." My vision gets fuzzy at simply the mention of getting sexy lessons from the brooding Uchiha and I feel myself struggling to stay standing. Tsunade rushes to steady me with a concerned look, "Or maybe you should ask Tenten to sneak you into a club or something to practice?" That option seems much more applicable in my current standing and I nod, taking a few deep breaths to try and clear my head. We continue our lesson until it's nearly six in the evening, when it's time for me to head to the recording studio, my last stop of the day before heading back to my room. I arrive in the studio and the producer in the production booth rises to his feet to shake my hand. I gingerly accept his greeting, a little uncomfortable because my hand is still sweaty from dancing.

He doesn't seem to mind and introduces himself, "The name's Asuma, nice to meet you, Hinata. Congrats on getting in. How's it feel?" I let out a breathless laugh, "I-Incredible!" He chuckles and motions for me to let myself into the recording booth. I do so with unsure steps, feeling odd while putting the large headphones over my ears. A small squeak slips past my lips when I suddenly hear his voice through the speakers, "Alright, I assume you brought your sheet music?" I nod, shuffling to grab my folder. "Wonderful, today we're going to work on your solo song. Have you looked through that one?" I nod, having played through it a few times on the keyboard last night before going to bed.

Asuma gives me a thumbs up, "We won't record it the first time through, but do your best to get a good feel for it. Ready?" I nod again, taking a shaky breath as the a countdown from three starts in the headphones. I start singing when the sheet music marks that I should and I'm a little thrown off when the acoustic guitar comes in through my headphones. Asuma gives me a nod of encouragement when I give him an unsure look. By the time the chorus comes around, I'm slowly getting used to singing with the headphones on and feel a bit more comfortable. Once the song reaches it's bridge, a full ensemble of music comes in and I physically jump in shock. That isn't in the sheet music! The producer laughs outside of the booth and I shake my head with a small smile on my lips. The sudden band will definitely be amazing if I ever get to perform this song live!

A small, more confident Hinata inside of me is relieved that the song isn't relaxed and acoustic all the way through. She loves a bit of flare and a big finish. The song soon finishes up and Asuma speaks again through the intercom, "Well done! Now that you're familiar with the song, we're going to record this next one, okay? If it's not the one, we'll re-record the parts you don't like instead of having you re-record the song over and over again, alright?" I nod in understanding and he starts the countdown once again. I close my eyes and let my body go on auto-pilot, save for putting into action the tips Jiraiya gave me earlier. The song's finished before I know it and I can't remember if I sound good or not, just that I wasn't very nervous for once in my life. Asuma plays the song back to me through the headphones and I'm surprised at my own voice. I'm not in love with myself or anything, but it sounds much better than I'd expected!

He motions for me to come out of the recording booth and I gather my things. "So I'm going to do some editing tonight and we'll listen to it again tomorrow. If we need to redo any sections or there's something you don't like, we'll fix it then, sound good?" I shake his hand as he offers it, "T-Thanks!" He smiles and squeezes my hand, "You did great for a newbie! See you tomorrow." I leave the recording studio and immediately run into Sakura in the hallway. She wraps an arm around my shoulders and heaves a giant sigh, "My god, today's been so long! Wanna go out to eat with me and a friend here in a bit? She wants to meet you." I agree with a shy smile and we head up to our room together. Sakura is talkative, but not so much as Tenten.

The main thing I notice in her personality as a whole is confidence. The green of jealously seeps into my being at her growth. I saw how defeated she was when Karin and Suigetsu were cutting her hair. Never would I have imagined she'd become this healthy, wholesome person. We arrive back in our room and take turns freshening up in the bathroom. As I'm in the shower, Sakura helps herself into the room and I let out a startled squeal. She peeks behind the curtain and winks at me, "Ooh Hinata! You didn't tell me you have titties! How do you hide them so well?"

I panic splash water at her and she lets out a loud laugh before knocking loudly on the door that separates the boys' room from the bathroom. I quickly squeeze the shower curtain shut with a heated face. Is she insane?! I eavesdrop on her conversation with the two. "We're going out to eat with one of my friends in like twenty minutes. Do you guys wanna come?" I hear Sasuke's scoff even over the running shower, "I'm going to be spending at least the next two years with you people. Why would I want to give you my free time, as well?" Sakura bit back at him, "Probably because Tenten said we have to spend time together, you ass." Gaara replies before Sasuke can get another rude remark in, "I'll get dressed." There's a silence before I hear the door close. I dare to peek and see Sakura is now in the mirror putting some finishing touches on her make up. She catches me and rolls her eyes, "That Sasuke can be a real pain, huh? He's lucky he's so sexy..."

I personally don't care how...sexy he is. A bad attitude like his ruins it all for me. If he was kinder, like Naruto, we'd have a different situation. I rest my head against the wall and let the water massage my back. Has Naruto noticed that I'm gone? Maybe me missing from the halls in school will make him realize he likes me. I shake my head and start rinsing my body of soap. No, there's no way he likes me back or he'd surely have told me by now. He's had years to do it. I turn the water off and ring some water from my hair. Well, if I think about it, so have I. Naruto and I are very different people, though. Once I'm finished showering and getting dressed, I apply very minimal make up and meet Sakura out in the hall.

She's wearing a pair of black overalls with a bright red bandeau top and matching high-heeled shoes. The overalls are skin-tight instead of being baggy like the original jean ones. Her shoulder length hair is french-braided into two low pigtails and her make-up is expertly done. She looks like a celebrity already and she's not even debuted yet. I, on the other hand, settle for a much more reserved look with black dressy leggings, some strappy sandals, and a sleeveless, floral dress shirt with a belt at the waist. My hair is much too long and thick to style in the short amount of time we had to get ready, so I just blow-dried it and brushed it out until it was shiny. Gaara comes from his room wearing a very nice looking pair of jeans and a bright red polo shirt with an expensive clothing brand label on it, pairing his outfit with black Jordan's. My face heats up when I see him stand next to Sakura.

They look like a couple, wearing the same colors and everything. The two don't seem to notice this. "Where's Sasuke?" Gaara shakes his head, "He said he's not coming." Sakura rolls her eyes, something she seems to do a lot when it comes to the Uchiha boy, "Oh well. More fun for us, right Hinata?" I nod with a smile and we all head to the elevator. It's nearly eight in the evening at this point so the building is much quieter than earlier in the day. While we ride in the elevator, Sakura attempts to learn more about Gaara, "So how old are you, Gaara?"

The boy seems unenthusiastic to reply, but does so in his usual polite voice, "I'm seventeen." The pinkette links her arm with his, "Oh my gosh! You're still a baby! Hinata and I are older than you." He visibly tries not to pout, mumbling a bit quieter than before, "I'm only a year younger than you. I'm not a baby." Even I have to admit his unhappy face is pretty cute. Even if he is much taller than both Sakura and I, when he makes a face like that he seems much younger than he is. Sakura bravely gives him a short hug, ignoring his argument, "Aww, don't worry little Gaara. Hinata and I will protect you!"

His face turns a subtle shade of pink and he glares at the ceiling of the elevator as though he can see the face of God through it and is asking him why he put him in this situation. A small laugh slips past my hand and the two look at me. Sakura releases the poor red-head altogether, "Here Hinata. You'd better put these on before the paparazzi see us." She hands me a pair of sunglasses that I accept in realization. She really thinks of everything. I slide them onto my face and she pulls out her phone so all of us can take a photo together. Once the photo is taken, the doors to the elevator finally open and we head out the front doors. The paparazzi take their photos, like they always do, but they aren't as crazy because they don't recognize any of us.

Once a cab has been hailed and we are riding in silence to whatever restaurant we're supposed to be meeting Sakura's friend at, Sakura speaks up again, "So, Gaara, how long have you been with the agency. I know it's longer than I have because you were with Tenten when she scouted me." He nods, ears still slightly pink as he sits in between us in the back seat, "I've been a trainee for six months now." Sakura and I both look at him in shock. "That's insane! Why didn't they let you debut earlier?" He looks down at his hands awkwardly, "Tenten said she knew what to do with me and to just be patient." Sakura and I looked each other with looks of confusion but ultimately let the subject go. We're definitely not the ones to question the star's decisions. When we arrive at the restaurant, a higher end one that always has a waiting line outside, Sakura pays the cab driver and shoots out of the car like a bullet from a gun.

She heads straight to a gorgeous blond who seemed to be waiting for us. Once the light of the street lamps catch her face, I immediately recognize the attractive young woman as Ino Yamanaka. She's famously the youngest model to ever be the face for a Gucci underwear line, debuting at just sixteen years old, near the same time as Tenten's debut. Her career's been taking off like lightning since. She's currently, I believe, working as a Victoria Secret model and designing her first ever clothing line with the help of her good friend Choji Akimichi, a prodigy in the fashion design world. She already has a perfume line out that is absolutely amazing, yet Father would never let me wear it because he thinks that she's too slutty and representing myself with her product would make me look cheap.

"Saku! You look so hot! What took you guys so long?" The two girls hug each other tightly. Gaara and I awkwardly stand there as they part. Ino motions for us to follow her and we're immediately let through the doors instead of having to wait in line. The crowd outside hollers in protest, but the noise disappears as the doors shut behind us. The restaurant is very youthful, having furniture and lighting similar to that of a club. We are seated in a very large booth and have our orders taken immediately. When the waiter leaves us to put our orders in, Ino smiles at us and her beauty is almost blinding. This is a girl that lives a life of luxury and clearly enjoys it. She seems to radiate happiness and success. "I'm Ino, by the way. Nice to meet you guys."

Sakura does introductions for us, thankfully, so I don't have to try to get my name out in front of this perfect young woman. "This is Hinata Hyuga and Gaara Subaku. They're in my group." Ino's eyes widen up and she grabs Sakura's hands in delight, "You're going to debut?!" Sakura's smile is wider than I've ever seen it and she lets out an excited laugh as Ino pulls her into a hug. When they part, Ino reaches for her drink, "I told you it was coming, didn't I? Oh my gosh! You guys are going to be so big!" Sakura slaps the girl's arm jokingly, "I'll have to start paying for dinner, then, huh?" Ino pointed at her while she sipped her drink in acknowledgement. When she sits her drink back down, she zeroes in on Gaara. The boy in question squirms under her gaze, sipping his water and staring down at the table to try and avoid her pastel blue gaze. The model nudges Sakura and speaks in a teasing voice, "You didn't tell me he'd be so hot, you bitch!"

Gaara chokes on his water and Sakura pats his back a few times while laughing, "You should see the other one! He's a god!" Gaara finally clears his throat and his embarrassed gaze stays down, a small frown on his lips. My heart yearns for him. The poor guy looks like he's suffering. He seems shy around women and the two next to him are doing their best to tease him. Another part of me finds it humorous, just like Sakura and Ino, but that part's much smaller. Ino turns to me and I offer her a small smile in greeting, "I've heard of the Hyuga's. You're all super uptight, right?" I shrug, an awkward laugh slipping out. Sakura smacks her friend harder on the arm, "Don't be rude, Ino. She's just a little shy." Ino looks at me with a wink and a flirty smirk, "Well, we'll change that real quick, won't we Hinata?"

My face burns at her insinuation and luckily our conversation is interrupted by someone approaching our table. I assume it's the waiter checking on us for refills, but the familiar rumble of a certain Uchiha's voice meets my ears, "What'd I miss?" Sakura, Gaara, and I look at him in utter shock as he slips into the booth on Ino's other side. He immediately lets his eyes wonder over Ino, doing little to hide his attraction to her. Sakura speaks through grit teeth, "I thought you weren't coming, Sasuke?" He tears his dark eyes from Ino's pale ones and puts on a cocky smirk, "Well, I figured I should come meet your friend and I'm glad I did." He looks back to Ino, who's face is taking on the slightest hint of pink at his advances, "I'm Sasuke."

Ino, who is obviously used to getting this treatment from men, gives him a sultry look, "You must be the final group member. I'm Ino." She offers her his hand to shake and he takes it with the obvious intent to place a chaste kiss on it, but is interrupted by Ino letting out a surprised shout. Sakura's tugged on her high ponytail, effectively ending whatever moment was about to happen, "That's my teammate. Off limits, you hoe!" The rest of us suck in a shocked breath. There's no way an esteemed celebrity like Ino Yamanaka is going to sit there and take that. To all of our surprise, she pulls her hand from Sasuke's and reaches over to flick Sakura in the forehead, "Don't be such a cockblock, Forehead!"

Sakura sticks her tongue out at the blond and soon the two are laughing as our food is being sat down in front of us. We eat slowly, enjoying some casual conversation as the night continues. Before long, it's nearly eleven and we need to be getting back so we can get some rest for training tomorrow. Ino get's into a black SUV with the help of one of her bodyguards, since she'd become a bit drunk drinking with her meal. The rest of us climb into a cab, Gaara being the unlucky one that has to sit in the front seat with the driver. I can see his pout in the window's reflection and smile to myself. The poor guy's really had a rough night and he just wanted to get to know us. I bet he'll never volunteer to come along again.

I glance to my left and tune in to Sakura and Sasuke's argument which started the moment we were seated. "You just wanted to see if my friend was hot. You don't care about spending time with the group!" Sasuke scoffs and shrugs, "Duh. I already said that." Sakura doesn't take that answer kindly and starts barking back at him. I tune out and rest my head against the window and try to ignore the heat erupting from the part of my thigh that's touching Sasuke's on the seat. Maybe Tsunade's right and I need a teacher. It can't be Sasuke, though, because things could get awkward. Who's it going to be, then?

* * *

**NOTE: REPOSTED BECAUSE I FORGOT TO FORMAT -THANK YOU TANUKI**


	5. The Second Day

When we finally are back in the comfort of our own rooms, Sakura and I take turns showering and changing into pajamas. Sakura splays herself out on my bed with a notebook and pencil in her hand. I've seen that same book in her arms multiple times now and now that we're on the same page and friendly, I finally have the courage to ask her about it, "W-What're you writing?" I'm seated at my keyboard, deciding which song of ours I want to practice before I go to bed. Sakura smiles to herself, "I'm writing song lyrics. Tenten told me that she wants our second album to be completely written by us, so I've been trying to get a head start." This is news to me! My face turns a subtle pink. I've always wanted to try writing my own music, "I-I think I'll start d-d-doing that, too, then!" Sakura nods eagerly before motioning with her pencil toward my keyboard, "I didn't know you played piano. Let's sing together!" I awkwardly nod in agreement, not wanting to disappoint my new friend. She picks a song fairly quickly from the sheet music in front of me, "I'll sing the guys' part, okay?" My fingers dance over the keys slightly slower than the music calls for, giving both of us a chance to really get a feel for the melody. Sakura hums in her chest voice, the alto sound solid and confident. Even to untrained ears, you can tell she's been taking lessons. Soon she begins singing the first verse. I'm in awe at her voice. It's soulful and a bit lower than mine, a voice that seems like it'd be suited for rhythm and blues or maybe even rock if she edges it up a bit.

_From the way you smile_

_To the way you look_

_You capture me_

_Unlike no other_

_From the first hello_

_Yeah, that's all it took_

_And suddenly_

_We had each other_

_And I won't leave you_

_Always be true_

_One plus one, two for life_

_Over and over again_

_So don't ever think I need more_

_I've got the one to live for_

_No one else will do_

_And I'm telling you_

_Just put your heart in my hands_

_I promise it won't get broken_

_We'll never forget this moment_

_Yeah we'll stay brand new_

_'Cause I'll love you_

_Over and over again_

_Over and over again_

It's finally my turn to sing and when I start, I'm nervous about embarrassing myself in front of Sakura. She gives me an eager smile when I glance her way and I squeeze my eyes shut, deciding to just do my best.

_From the heat of night_

_To the break of day_

_I'll keep you safe_

_And hold you forever_

_And the sparks will fly_

_They will never fade_

_And every day gets better and better_

_And I won't leave you_

_Always be true_

_One plus one, two for life_

_Over and over again_

Sakura comes back in for the next part and I prepare myself for the chorus coming up when we'd finally be singing together.

_So don't ever think I need more_

_I've got the one to live for_

_No one else will do_

_Yeah I'm telling you_

_Just put your heart in my hands_

Finally, we sing at the same time, our voices dancing the delicate dance of a duet.

_I promise it won't get broken_

_We'll never forget this moment_

_Yeah we'll stay brand new_

_'Cause I'll love you_

_Over and over again_

_Over and over again_

_Girl when I'm with you_

_I lose track of time_

_When I'm without you_

_You're stuck on my mind_

_I'll be all you need_

_Until the day that I die_

_I'll love you_

_Over and over again_

_So don't ever think I need more_

_I've got the one to live for_

_No one else will do_

_I'm telling you_

_Just put your heart in my hands_

_I promise it won't get broken_

_We'll never forget this moment_

_Yeah we'll stay brand new_

_'Cause I'll love you_

_Over and over again_

_Over and over again_

_Over and over again_

Once the final note is played and both of us cut off, Sakura and I smile excitedly at each other. "They were so right about you! You're voice is so strong already!" I thank her honestly, but soon find an unwelcome thought slipping into my mind. She plops back down onto my bed and flips her notebook back open to continue writing lyrics. I glance over to her with an unsure mind. She's my new friend, so she won't be annoyed at my asking for advice, right? She quickly turns her head to see my looking and offers a smile, "What's up, Hinata?" My face heats up at being caught staring, but I still manage to ask what's on my mind, "D-D-Do you think they only accepted m-me because of my last n-n-n-name?"

Sakura snaps her notebook closed once more and climbs over to sit on the edge of the bed with a frown, "How can you possibly think that, Hinata? You're so talented even without training. On top of that, Tenten and Kakashi aren't the types to lie to you like that, you know?" I nod somberly, still not one-hundred percent convinced, but thankful for her kind words anyway. She reaches over and play punches my arm, "Don't be so hard on yourself, Hinata. You're here because you impressed the agency, nothing else, and you know it." I give her a grateful smile and turn back to the piano to practice my solo just in case Asuma wants me to re-record some of it tomorrow, but Sakura touches my arm to pull my attention back to her.

When I look back, her cheeks are slightly pink, "So, what do you think of the boys? Do you like them?" My face warms to match hers and I nod, "U-Um, well, they both s-s-seem capable if that's w-what you mean. Our g-g-groups dynamics should be i-i-i-interesting to say the least." She shakes her head and lets herself fall back to lay on the bed, "No, I mean do you think they're hot...like sexy?" Flames erupt under my skin and I immediately can't help but fiddle with my fingers in my lap, "W-w-w-well they're both attractive i-in their own ways." Sakura shoots back up and grabs my hands in hers, all nervousness in her suddenly gone, "I know, right? So, which one do you like the most, Sasuke or Gaara?"

Sakura takes one look at my aghast face before realizing I physically can't answer that question without fainting, letting out a small laugh before continuing, "Well, I think Gaara is boyfriend-hot. You know, you can picture yourself going on dates with him and cuddling, but Sasuke is like a sexy vampire king from a rated r movie, right?" She starts cackling at my ever-rising obvious discomfort, "Oh my God, Hinata, you're so red!" I rise from the bench and flop down next to her on the bed, burying my face in the comforter. She slaps my arm playfully, "So are you okay if I try to get with Sasuke?" My head shoots up in shock and I give her an incredulous look, "H-How can you like him when h-he's such a...well he's an a-a-ass!"

I inwardly commend myself for being so casual. Sakura, luckily, doesn't take offense to my comment and shrugs her shoulders, gathering her notebook and pencil into her lap, "I think it's kind of exhilarating when a guy doesn't want you at first. It's all about the chase, my dear Hinata." My mouth forms an "o" as I try to understand what she means. I'm, honestly, utterly lost. There's no way I'd ever find him attractive enough to want to date him when he brazenly shows us a nasty attitude. Of course, Sasuke's physically beyond perfection, but the moment he opens his mouth he ruins it for me.

My head cocks to the side as she raises to her feet, most likely about to head to her own room and get to sleep, "I thought you said Gaara's b-b-boyfriend, hot? Why would you not g-g-go for him instead? W-wouldn't he t-t-t-treat you better?" I'm unfamiliar with all things dating related, so I'm taking this chance to learn a little bit about how it works. She pauses at the doorway and offers me a flirty wink, "Yeah, but I'm not looking to date Sasuke. I'm looking to lose my virginity to someone who obviously would know what he's doing."

She immediately starts laughing at the blood leaving my face completely, her laughs barely registering in my mind as a humiliated haze threatens to take me under. After I manage to calm myself and sit on the side of the bed, Sakura's laughter fades, "You don't think S-Sasuke's a v-v-v-virgin?" Sakura scoffs, "You have seen him, right? Besides, he's already twenty and his brother's notorious for being a total lady-killer. I bet it runs in the family and he's been with at least a few women by now." My mind reels at her words, but she continues before I can ask about this rumored brother, "So, you don't mind if I go after him, right? If you like him, I'll back off, no worries." I put my hands up in defense, signaling to her to do whatever she wishes. She gives me a thumbs up, blows me a kiss, and then officially heads to her own room for the night.

* * *

The next morning, I wake up half an hour late and don't even have time to shower before heading to my lesson with Jiraiya and Tenten. Luckily, I bust through the doors just in time to not be late. Tenten, on time today, and Jiraiya exchange humored glances as I approach the spot I'm supposed to stand by the piano, which is marked with an "x" made out of tape on the carpeted floor. "How did you sleep, Hinata?" Tenten's cheerful voice interrupts my fumbling with my sheet music and I glance up at her with a polite smile, "I slept well, thank you." Tenten suddenly hugs me roughly, nearly knocking both of us to the ground. I glance at Jiraiya over her shoulder and he shrugs cluelessly. My free hand pats Tenten on the back, "A-Are you okay, Tenten?"

The brunette releases me and smiles down at my face, "You didn't stutter! You must really like me!" My face warms slightly, but she's not wrong. My first night here, I was terrified of looking like an idiot in front of her, being a giant fan of hers since she debuted. With each day that passes, though, I feel myself growing more and more comfortable with her presence. In fact, I'm more nervous to be around Gaara or Sasuke than I am of her. She just has a way of making people feel calm around her. Tenten is a very down to earth celebrity.

I nod bashfully and she squeals happily to herself before heading back to her spot, "I like you, too, Hinata!" We finally turn to face Jiraiya and begin the vocal lesson. I do my best to keep the tips he'd given me yesterday in mind and by the end of the lengthy lesson, feel as though I'm improving at a steady pace. Jiraiya and Tenten even said so! The singer in question comes with me to Sakura and I's room for her lunch break, stating under her breath that she'd had a late night and was a bit too hungover to go out for food. She silently steals one of Sakura's green teas from the refrigerator as I pull out the ingredients to make a simple garden salad, "S-So did you go to t-the club to see N-N-Neji last night?"

Tenten sits on one of the stools at the island, facing me with a bright smile, "Hell, yes, I did and don't judge me, but you're never going to guess what happened!" I slide her a small bowl of salad with a fork and stay across from her as I start eating my own, motioning with my fork for her to continue. "On top of him buying me a drink, he approached me first! Can you believe it? Here I thought he'd be all stern and business-y because he was representing your family, but no." I nearly choke, speaking through my speaking from behind my hand so she won't catch a glance of a mouthful of food, "He did?!" The young woman's face tints a very subtle red and she continues with a reminiscent smile on her plump lips, "Yeah! We took a bunch of shots, danced, did some other things back at his condo..."

This time I really do choke, desperately turning to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator so I can clear my throat. Once I can breathe again, Tenten snickers between bites, "Yeah, I'm not going into details because he's your cousin, but let me just say GOD DAMN that man is much different behind the curtain. Can I ask you something, unrelated to that, I mean?" I nod, not trusting my voice at this point. "Are you gonna be mad if I tell you that I agreed to see him again for drinks?" My answer is instant, "O-Of course not!" Excitement rushes through me. Neji has managed to woo Tenten enough to get her to accept an invite for a date?

What if they are compatible to the extent that they date, then get married? Tenten will be my cousin, then! I take a soothing breath from behind my water bottle. There's no need to get ahead of myself and my hopes up just because they're going on one date. Tenten, though, giggles and lays a hand on my shoulder from across the island, "He's such a gentleman, that cousin of yours. Thank you for helping me out, Hinata. I'm really grateful!" I offer her a smile, "Y-Yeah, he's the only nice one in t-the family." After my lunch break ends, Tenten heads off to her own room for an afternoon nap and I head down to the dance studio for my lesson with Tsunade. The blond greets me with a curt nod, immediately turning the music on in a similar fashion as our first lesson. This time, however, it's the song we'd learned yesterday and she obviously wants me to perform it again to see how much of it had stuck.

I do my very best to deliver confident dance moves, breathing hard by the time the song finally ends. She cuts the music off and offers a smirk, "You're not too shabby at this, Hyuga. Let's go over it slowly one more time and then we'll move on to fixing the smaller details." Pride swells in my chest and I feel it affect my confidence as the song restarts. By the time my dance lesson finishes up, I'm sweating as though I've just run a marathon and must look that way, as well. On my way to the recording studio, I physically run into Sasuke in the hallway, not noticing him approaching. He scoffs down at me and takes a step back so he can look down at me with those arrogant yet alluring eyes, "Are the Hyuga's blind as well as prudes?"

Annoyance boils up in my blood, but I do my best to hide it, "Hello, Sasuke, Gaara." Gaara is standing slightly behind Sasuke, leaning against the wall as though he's bored, but he has an uncomfortable look on his face. He still nods a polite greeting to me before looking back to the floor. At least he isn't glaring at me, like someone. Sasuke's annoyed expression quickly turns into a teasing one, "You're so sweaty, Hyuga." I rarely get angry at others, but this dark-haired man has a way of pushing my buttons, somehow. "Well, that's w-what happens when you t-t-take dance lessons, S-Sasuke. If I recall, you were s-sweaty yourself yesterday." His smirk widens and he mock waves his hand in front of his nose, "Yeah, but I didn't smell as bad as you do right now." Disbelieve has me freezing for a moment, before I decide to just distance myself from the older boy before I could say something that may injure our potential friendship, "Alright, w-well, I have to g-go. See you guys l-l-later." With that, I step past him and head towards the recording studio, ignoring his amused chuckles. A flash of blonde hair in my peripheral vision catches my attention and my head jerks to the side to search for the owner. Is that Naruto I just caught a glimpse of?

The busy hall quickly swallows up whoever it was that'd caught my attention and I have no choice but to head into the studio so I'm not late. To my surprise, Kakashi is sitting in a chair next to Asuma's in the production booth. Both men turn to me when I enter and Asuma greets me vocally, "Good to see you again, Hinata! I have great news!" I bow respectfully to both him and Kakashi before placing my items on the chair next to the door, "W-What is it?" I try to keep my eyes on Asuma, but Kakashi's handsome face keeps pulling my eyes away. I'm always worried that I'll make a fool of myself in front of him, given that he's my boss now and everything. "Your original recording from yesterday is pretty much perfect so you won't have much to do for it today, which is good because Kakashi has something to request from you." My eyes fall to the left, onto my attractive CEO. His easy smile widens as my eyes land on him, "Hinata there are a few people I'd like Prestige to meet today and they'll be arriving at seven. Please meet me with the rest of your group at my office then. I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your recording time, but if what Asuma's told me about your recording, you didn't need it anyway!"

He rises to his feet and shakes Asumas hand, then mine, "I'll see you then, Hinata." I watch him leave with hearts in my eyes. Asuma snickers once the door closes, "He has that affect on all the trainees." My face heats up and I pat my cheeks to try and focus myself, "S-Sorry! Do you want me in the b-booth again?" He nods and motions for me to go ahead and head in. Once I have the large headphones on and signal to Asuma that I'm all adjusted, his voice comes over the intercom just like yesterday, "Alright, I just need you to do a voice-over of your original recording with some riffs and ad libs, do you understand?" I nod and nearly jump out of my skin when the recording from yesterday starts playing.

He'd said that it may be smart to go ahead and sing along with the rest of the song while it's playing, just to warm myself up to the song. My eyes shut and just like my audition, I pretend I'm at home alone and singing in the shower. The song is over before I know it and Asuma motions for me to do it again. This continues for about an hour, when it's finally six and he lets me leave early so I can freshen up for whoever I'm about to meet. Sakura is doing the same thing when I get to our room and she hollers at me from the bathroom while I dig through my closet for something to wear, "How'd your lessons go?" I reply as I quickly head into the bathroom and jump into the shower to undress, tossing my sweaty clothes into the hamper with one hand from behind the shower curtain, "They went w-well! Yours?"

Soon the hot water is massaging my back as I wash the sweat out of my hair. "Same!" We're both soon dressed in nice clothing and ready to head down to Kikashi's office. We meet Sasuke and Gaara outside of the CEO's office. The two young men are dressed in similar styles to Sakura and I, not necessarily business clothing but still very nice. At seven o'clock on the dot, Kakashi's door opens up and he motions for us to enter the room. No sooner than the door was shut behind us did familiar red hair reach my eyes. I glance past Sasuke and see Sakura's face pale in a similar fashion that mine had to. Gaara, who is on Sakura's other side, seems to notice our panic, but Sasuke is oblivious to our distress. Karin Uzumaki and her parents stand confidently in front of us, Karin having a look on her face as though she's a child let loose in a candy store.

* * *

**As promised, here are the links to the songs mentioned. Credits to the creators, artists, and producers of the music.**

**Over and Over Again by Nathan Sykes Ft. Ariana Grande -**

** watch?v=7uJ4kJiMUAc**

**Did you notice that little NejiTen mention ;) They've always been one of my favorite pairs so I couldn't stop myself from putting it in there!**

**Thanks again for reading and I will update as soon as I can! **

**It may be a week or so before I can post the next updated chapter because I have a big week coming up!**


	6. Dinner With Karin and Truth or Dare

**Sorry for the wait on this chapter!**

** Like I mentioned previously, I've had a very busy week or so and am also trying to alternate updating this story and the other story I'm working on: Empty Eyes. **

**This chapter is where the changes I'm making between this version and the pre-published version may be a bit more important *hint hint* **

**ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING, FAVORITE-ING, AND FOLLOWING! **

**I adore your feedback and look forward to it each time I update!**

** Enjoy!**

* * *

The sound of someone shuffling quickly towards the room we're all standing in draws our attention from the red-headed bully and her family. I turn to look over my shoulder at who could be approaching so noisily, the change jingling loudly in their pocket as they hurried closer to us, and nearly fainted there on the spot. Sasuke even nudges me in the side to snap me out of it. Naruto's handsome face is flushed as though he'd been jogging for a long time as he respectfully bows for all of us before entering the room and eventually taking his place next to his aunt, uncle, and cousin.

Both of Naruto's parents tragically died in a house fire when Naruto was just a toddler. Thankfully, he was old enough to retain some of memory of his parents, but was old enough to be at at away from his mother and not present when the fire happened. Karin's parents had been watching him when it happened and even adopted him after the fact. Everyone at school knows the story because Karin makes it known to everyone that Naruto isn't her brother and she doesn't accept him as part of her family. Everyone, or at least the majority of those who hear it from her, know that she's just angry he doesn't share her nasty personality. Naruto's often very open about the subject and even expresses to those who inquire about it that he would rather have a chance to clear up whatever lies Karin had put out there about how he ended up living with them. Of course neither of the Uzumaki's had told me any of this information because I tried my best to blend into the paint on the walls at school, but when you're quiet you hear more of the conversations around you so it wasn't hard to piece together the story.

The blonde young man smooths out his shirt before standing politely next to his family, a bright smile forming on his lips when he undoubtedly recognizes Sakura. A piece of me is jealous that he isn't giving me that smile, but then I recall that he probably doesn't even remember who I am and I do my best to keep my smile strong. "Prestige, I'd like to introduce you to the Uzumaki family. I'm sure you've heard of them so I won't go into detail about their products," Kakashi speaks very formally to show his guests that their presence is important to him. All four of us bow in unison to show our respect to the prestigious business owners. Sakura finally makes eye contact with me out of the corner of her eye while we rise back up. Most of the confidence I've built over the past few days flew right out the door the second those cat-eye glasses met my vision. Naruto's gorgeous face right next to her does a little to ease my discomfort, thankfully, and I have some trouble focusing on anything that Kakashi is saying.

Sasuke, finally aware that something is indeed off, gives us a curious look, but ultimately goes back to listening to Kakashi. "Their daughter Karin, whom I believe went to school with Hinata, is debuting as a designer with her clothing line called Distinguished. They've approached me looking for idols available to promote and I think this is a perfect chance for Prestige to start acting the part of an official group. Please introduce yourselves individually so the Uzumakis can view you as individuals instead of just a group." Kakashi is being his usual charming yet professional self, completely unaware that he's invited both Sakura and I's tormentor into what's supposed to be a safe place for us.

I briefly wonder where Tenten is because she's usually all about being with us for new stuff since we are technically the first idol group that she's mentoring. Gaara interrupts my train of though, wasting no time at all in stepping forward and shaking the hands of each of the guests in front of us and speaking in his usual soft voice, "Hello. My name is Gaara. I'm excited to work with you." He can probably stand next to the small family and no one would know that he isn't related to them, being pale with blood red hair just like Karin and her mother. Karin does little to hide her wondering eyes as he blankly shakes each of their hands before returning to his place next to Sakura. It's unspoken that we should go in order of how we're standing so Sakura takes a shaky breath before approaching the family, "My name is Sakura. It's nice to meet you." Her voice is the least confident I've heard it to date and she even had to rub her palms on her leggings before shaking their hands.

Sasuke snickers to himself at my side, amused by her nervousness, and my absolute appellation of his insensitivity shoots a wave of bravery through my arm to elbow him in the side with my teeth grit angrily. His gaze hardens, but he doesn't show any other reactions because it's his turn to introduce himself, "My name is Sasuke. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." I try very hard to not roll my eyes at the obviously fake charm he's putting on for the guests. Karin's taunting gaze that had followed Sakura back to her spot flickers over to Sasuke before she does a double take and visibly perks up at the handsome man approaching. She even dares to shoot him a wink as they shake hands, right in front of her family and the agency promoting her clothing line.

Bile rises in my throat at her lack of professionalism. Her parents simply ignore the action as though it's something they see every day, which it very may well be. Finally it's my turn and I step forward, "My name is Hinata." I don't push my luck with any other vocal pleasantries, proud enough of myself that I'd managed to get just that one out without stuttering. Karin reaches to shove her hand into mine, "How're you doing, Hinata! I missed seeing you at school!" My body is tense and an all too familiar haze starts to form a cloud over my vision, hinting at a fainting spell to come. I nod as best I can, not wanting to cause a scene in front of Kakashi and my group-mates, "I-I-I'm good." My hand's visibly shaking in hers and she obviously knows the power she has over me because she squeezes my hand roughly, "I suppose a couple of days apart isn't the end of the world, right? Now that we're together again we can hang out more often!"

My blood runs even colder and I pull my hand as calmly as possible from her grip, choosing to move on to the next person instead of stand there and let her get to me. After her mother and father I finally come to the young man that's haunted my heart for a whole decade. Naruto's face lights up when I finally shake his hand, "How's it going, Hinata? Long time no see! You've changed quite a bit since grade school, huh? It's great to see you again!" A relieved smile slips onto my lips. So he does remember me! "Y-Yes, it's good to s-s-see you as well, N-N-N-Naruto." His smile widens slightly and he scratches the back of his head sheepishly as I head back to my place next to Sasuke. Karin speaks up before anyone else gets a chance to, "Mr. Hatake, I'd like to get to know the other Prestige members a little better. May I treat your idols to dinner?" She finally shows what little professionalism she has. She played the young businesswoman role so well she could've won an Oscar Award.

Kakashi looks over each of us briefly before nodding, "I don't see the harm in that. Just be sure you're all not out too late since they all do have training tomorrow." He is looking at us as he says this, a clear warning that we'd better behave in front of this client. We give varying motions of acknowledgement before Karin steps forward and walks between Sasuke and Sakura, cutting our group in half, and leading us out of the room. Naruto tags along behind her quietly with a bored look on his face. All of this business stuff doesn't seem to interest him. I shoot one last yearning glance at Kakashi's office before we turn the corner and it's no longer in sight. I trail slightly behind the group, always one to listen instead of converse. To my surprise, Naruto falls back to walk next to me and speaks in a slightly lower voice as though he doesn't want anyone else to hear, "God, is it stuffy in these business clothes or is it just me?" My face heats up at the dirty thoughts that immediately slip into my mind and I shake my head slightly to rid of them before that familiar haze can return, "U-Um, I suppose they're not the m-most comfortable."

He walks with his hands behind his head casually and gives a small laugh as we approach the front doors. I see Sasuke pull a pair of sunglasses out of his coat pocket and slip them on, immediately panicking since I'd forgotten mine. If the paparazzi gets a good look at me, they'll definitely recognize me by my eyes and have a hayday. I didn't know we'd be leaving the building or I would've brought them with me. My panic goes unnoticed by those around me until we finally step out and are quickly bombarded by a wave of at least ten paparazzi photographers. Karin, who seems the type to enjoy the attention, opts to show her face which draws a lot of attention, but when one of them finally sees me trying to hide behind Sasuke's much larger body, all hell breaks loose. They quickly swarm me and the flashes from the cameras blind me in an instant. "Miss Hyuga! Can I get a quote about how your father feels about you being here?"

"Hinata! How does it feel being the family rebel?" "There are talks about you suddenly taking an interest in partying. Can I get a quote, Hinata?" I pull my arms away from those brave enough to try and force me to show my face, but one just goes straight for my hair and yanks it back to try and make me stand up straight. Unfortunately I'm not expecting the sudden force and am sent tumbling back onto my butt. I hear Sakura's distraught voice even over the annoying men and women's voices, "Hey!" A loud crack! follows that draws the attention of the photographers and I look up to see both Gaara and Naruto pulling Sakura off of the man who I assume was the one to pull me down. Her face is still red with anger and her hand still in a fist from the punch she'd just thrown. I felt tears well up at her display of loyalty. Karin's pretty much laughing at me from the curb, standing in front of the large limo her parents had no doubt bought for her. I feel a strong hand wrap around my arm and try to pull me up. I nearly jump, thinking it's another handsy photographer, but when I look up it's Sasuke doing his best to be helpful. He isn't looking at me, but seems to be glaring over at the guy that Sakura'd just layed out.

He's holding a bloody nose and cowering on the pavement, complaining loudly that Sakura'd just broken a multi-thousand dollar camera. I allow Sasuke to help me up, brushing my outfit off once I'm on my own two feet before walking past the other's who're still shooting photos. Sakura yanks herself away from the two worried looking young men holding her back and links an arm with mine, "Are you alright? I should've hit him where the sun doesn't shine instead!" She looks past my shoulder to send the bloodied man one last dirty look before refocusing on me. My face is still burning hot and I feel a little light on my feet, but I'm otherwise just fine. We all climb into Karin's limo, me sitting beside Sakura and the boys sitting on her other side. Naruto and Karin sit across from us. Once the vehicle is actually in motion, Karin finally drops the friendly act and gives me a snotty up and down look, "This is the last place I'd expect to find the likes of you, Hinata. Have you been hiding from me again?"

Her voice is sickly sweet to the point that everyone who doesn't know the full situation (Which is ,at least in part, everyone else in the vehicle) that we were not friends like Karin had insinuated back in the office. Sasuke and Gaara quietly watch us females converse which is probably the smartest decision they can make. I feel Sakura slip her fingers in-between mine and give them a supportive squeeze before I speak back at the redhead across from us, "N-Not intentionally, no..." Karin's fake smile disappears and a sneer takes it's place, "Yeah, except I'm not so happy to see _you_. Suigetsu told me how you were throwing yourself at him after school on Monday, you skank." Sasuke suddenly scoffs, interrupting whatever Naruto was about to blurt out, "We are talking about Hinata, right?"

I put my free hand up in defense, ignoring Sasuke's comment. Karin's gaze flickers over to him momentarily before she raises an impatient eyebrow at me. I try to defend myself, not wanting to let anyone know that I'd nearly been assaulted, "T-That's not true! I'm not interested in S-S-Suigetsu at all!" Just thinking about how he'd forced his lips against my skin make's chills run down my back. I feel all around uncomfortable with the topic. Karin leans forward, giving us all a clear view of some excessive cleavage, "That's not what he said, Whore. I could get you kicked out of the agency if I wanted, you know."

Sakura's hand tightens on mine and she barks out through grit teeth, "Stop it, Karin. We're all adults now, let's act like it." If the photographer from earlier's bloody nose isn't proof enough that Sakura's holding back a lot of anger, then I don't know what will be. The redhead looks absolutely stunned that Sakura had even spoken to her, but changes the subject as she addresses the pinkette, "Sakura! Long time no see! You're hair looks amazing, by the way! How long did it take to grow it out evenly?" Every single one of us hates the redhead by now. All of the guys, even Naruto, are glaring at Karin.

Sakura clamps her mouth shut and sits back against the leather seat, turning her gaze out the window and effectively ending the conversation. I squeeze her hand gently to let her know that I'm here for her and she squeezes back, but not as enthusiastically as earlier. I glance over to see both of the boys staring at us curiously because they obviously haven't put two and two together that Karin is the one that had bullied us both in school. After a few intense minutes, we finally arrive at a sushi restaurant. It was a new one that recently had it's grand opening. Karin leads the way in and the man at the door knows her by name, "Miss Uzumaki, welcome back! Would you like your usual booth?" Karin grabs the attractive doorman's arm and gave it a seductive squeeze, "Yes, Kiro, thank you."

I hear a quiet psst! behind me and turn to see Sasuke and Gaara leaning down to whisper to Sakura and I, "What the hell is going on? Is she the one that messed with you guys in school?" Gaara nods and leans towards us to listen for our answer. After glancing at each other, Sakura and I decide to not do this while we're still out. She whispers back, waving a dismissive hand, "Let's talk when we're back at the agency." Gaara nods understandingly and Sasuke rolls his eyes, but both return to their usual heights and slide into the booth we've been lead to. Karin sits in the middle and I sit on one of her sides so Sakura won't have to since she's obviously being affected by her presence and Gaara sits on her other to prevent Sasuke from being too brash. Naruto excuses himself to take a phone call, but not before giving his order to the approaching waiter.

Gaara starts a conversation as soon as our orders are put in, not giving Karin a chance to bring up a topic we all hate again, "So, Karin, would you like to discuss your clothing line?" Karin waves a dismissive hand in the air before sipping on her cocktail. She's the same age as Sakura and I, but the staff here most likely know that she'll cause trouble for the restaurant if they refuse to serve her whatever she wants. "I don't really know much about it. My parents are taking care of everything." Sakura and I share a knowing look, not surprised in the slightest by her lack of effort or creativity. Doesn't she realize how many people would kill to be able to create a clothing line and she's just blowing hers off? Sasuke, unfamiliar with the redhead's mannerisms, scoffs loudly and we all shoot him obvious warning looks.

Kakashi had said to leave good impressions on Karin and calling her out isn't a good way to do that, regardless of how nasty she gets. We don't need her running back to her parents and tattling that we were mean to her. He, oblivious to our panic, speaks in his usual annoyed voice, "Don't you feel any shame saying that?" Karin waits for the waiters who had just arrived with our orders to set our food down and leave the area before replying as though she doesn't notice the disgusted look on both his and Gaara's faces, "I'm not sure what you mean, Handsome." Sakura's glare hardens as Karin's obviously hitting on Sasuke.

I remember half-heartedly that she's trying to sleep with Sasuke and feel my face heat up at the thought. Sasuke replies quickly, pulling me out of my embarrassing thoughts, "I mean that you should be ashamed that you have no talent." Gaara nudges Sasuke fairly roughly in the side and gives him an exasperated glare when he glares back at him. He nudges the redhead right back before reaching across the table and swiping up Karin's drink to take a big gulp out of it. Karin's face is frozen in shock that he'd insulted her so bluntly and it takes her a moment to pull herself together. She leans forward and pulls her glass back, a smirk forming on her lips when he pulls up his own un-alcoholic drink and starts sipping on it less enthusiastically, "Oh Sweetheart, I have many talents that you just aren't aware of yet."

Sakura barks at the redhead before Sasuke can come up with a reply, "Okay, ew! Can we just eat and stop with the flirting?" Sasuke speaks over her, his voice as hard as nails, "Being rich isn't a talent, _Sweetheart_." I cringe visibly at the hurt look on Karin's face, scared at what she may do in reply. To my surprise, she ignores him completely and begins eating her meal. The other four of us share a look before cautiously starting our meal as well. A few bites into my salad and Sakura whispers in a joking voice to me, most likely trying to lighten the atmosphere, "How're you gonna just eat salad at a sushi restaurant, you dork?" I smile at her and shake my head as I chew.

To be honest, I'd eaten more than I meant to last night at dinner with Ino and I'm adjusting my diet today accordingly. Karin snorts unattractively, "Take another look at Hinata and tell me you can't see why she's eating salad." My cheeks heat up in embarrassment and I swallow the bite I was chewing hard, ready to cut Sakura off because the look on her face told me that she was about to snap. Tears sting the corner of my eyes as I set my fork down. Father had often made comments about my physique while I was growing up, as well, and hearing it from yet another person did a lot to sting my already weak self-image. To my surprise, Gaara's voice cuts off Sakura's angry one and his tone is much firmer than it previously had been, "I think Hinata looks great."

My eyes shoot up to meet his and he gives me a reassuring look. Even Sasuke speaks up, "Yeah, our fans are gonna be jealous of her jugs!" My face heats up in an instant and I look at him in shock. He winks at me jokingly and lightning shoots down my spine. "Hey guys, what'd I miss? Man our food got here quick!" He plops down next to Sakura and smiles brightly at everyone, oblivious to the tense aura surrounding us all. Sakura slaps his back jokingly, a smile on her lips, "Let's eat!" He laughs and it brings a warmth to my stomach that I only feel when he's around. "You don't have to tell me twice!" The two share a laugh and we all continue eating in silence, Naruto and Sakura being the only two to speak every once in a while. Karin thankfully kept quiet for the remainder of dinner and before long we were arriving back at the agency. Most of the paparazzi are gone since it's dark out and the amount of activity around the front doors of the building is significantly lessened.

Just as we pulled into the round-a-bout, Karin's parents were entering their own limo. I never would've guessed they'd be here this long, discussing business with Kakashi. Gaara and Sasuke thanked Karin for the meal, more out of necessity rather than want before climbing out of the vehicle. Sakura bid Naruto good-bye and exited the vehicle. I rose to follow, only to feel someone's hand form around my wrist to stop me. My blood runs cold and I watch as my other three band-mates walk towards the entrance without noticing my absence. To my relief, I hear Naruto's voice speak up instead of Karin's, "Hey, Hinata. Can I talk to you for a sec?"

I look back at him and nod with a bright red face. He follows me out of the car and closes the door behind himself so Karin can't eavesdrop. He leans casually against the car with a sheepish smile on his lips, "I wanted to apologize for not reaching out to you in high school. I know Karin put you through hell and I wish I'd known when it was happening so I could put a stop to it." My lips form a smile with ease, "D-Don't worry, Naruto. I k-k-know you're not like her." His face turns a slight shade of pink and he looks down at his feet, "Also, um, I was wondering if I could get your number?"

Shock freezes my body on the spot and it's as though I've been dropped into a pot of boiling water. He wants my number?! He can have my everything for all I care! Does he know how long I've waited for this or how many times I'd pictured it in my head through the years? A haze forms over my vision and my body feels heavy all of a sudden. Before I can realize what's happening, I hear Naruto say my name in panic and then all is black for a few moments. As soon as it happened, it's over and I am very aware of strong hands holding me up. My eyes reopen and I look up to see Naruto's bright blue ones staring down at me in concern, "Are you alright, Hinata? You fainted there for a second! Do you need a doctor? I can take you if you want." I shake my head quickly and politely pull myself away from the warmth of his body in fear that another fainting spell will occur because of our proximity, "I-I'm sorry! I'm fine, n-n-no worries! Here's my n-number..."

I bravely pull a pen from my handbag and write my number on his forearm, adding a small H under it as though he won't remember who wrote it. His face is pink again and he nods in silence. Sakura's voice meets our ears and I turn to see her waving at us from the door, "Come on, Hinata! We're gonna play truth or dare!" I look to see both Gaara and Sasuke looking annoyed with the pinkette and laugh under my breath. Naruto chuckles, too, and motions for me to go ahead, "I'll call you, okay?" I nod with a smile, not trusting my voice anymore, and wave goodbye to him as he climbs back into his cousin's limo. Once we're all inside and in the elevator, Sakura nudges me teasingly in the ribs, "Am I high or did I see little Hinata giving someone her number?" She winks flirtatiously at me when my face heats up to her teasing. Sasuke snickers, "Maybe you'll get laid before the debut and actually develop some sex appeal."

Sakura smacks his arm roughly, "Don't be a dick, Sasuke! Not everyone can be a hoe like you!" He shrugs and give me a joking smirk, letting me know silently that he meant no offense. His comment still annoys me, but I guess this is what friendship is like. We finally make it to Sakura and I's room and we all sit in a circle on the floor. Gaara speaks for the first time since we arrived home, "Before we play, you two need to fill us in on what's going on." He seems more firm than usual and it makes me feel uneasy, but not in a way that scares me. Sakura does the talking, as usual, and I'm grateful, "Karin and her boyfriend are Hinata and I's high school bullies." The two immediately put two and two together, but then look at me expectantly as though I need to add to what she said. I huff a big sigh before bursting out, "P-Please don't tell anyone b-b-b-because I haven't even told my f-father about this."

Sakura looks just as curious as the boys, which is understandable since she has no idea what I'm talking about either. I go on to tell them everything from how Neji would scare Suigetsu off and how he'd tried to take advantage of me on Monday. The only thing I keep to myself is that Suigetsu is texting me now. If that's all he does, I'll be fine and he'll eventually give up. There's no need to cause a fuss over it when it'll most likely end up being nothing. Sakura reaches over and squeezes one of my hands, tears forming in her eyes as though she understands the fear that I feel. Gaara speaks first, "Kakashi needs to know about this. Karin shouldn't be allowed around you two for your own safety." Sasuke and I shake our heads in disagreement, but Sakura disagrees loudly, "We can't just nark on her or she'll have this hold on us forever!" Her pride was hurting. Sasuke spoke next, "We're not a bunch of cowards."

He glances over at me and smirks, "Well not all of us." I glare at him, but can tell he's just teasing me again. Sakura rises to her feet and holds her arms out from her sides, "We'll get through this! Let's just make sure none of us are alone with her at any time so nothing can happen that we can't stop, deal?" We all nod this time. Sakura throws her hands in the air and plops back down with a bright grin, "Good! Now that that's done, let's get on to playing Truth or Dare! I'll go first!" Sakura's the type of girl that doesn't take no for an answer so we just roll with the shots. She turns to me with a mischievous smile, "Hinata, Truth or Dare?" I blurt out truth before even thinking, but are you surprised? Sasuke rolls his eyes, "Of course you'd pick truth." Sakura shoots him a warning look before returning to me, "How far have you gone with a boy?" Sasuke and Gaara both groan at the girly question.

My face heats up, "I-I've d-d-d-d-done literally nothing..." Sakura covers her shocked mouth with a hand, "Not even a kiss?" I shake my head in shame. It's not like I haven't wanted to kiss boys, or one blonde boy to be specific. She develops a sparkle in her eye and quickly urges me to move on with my turn. My mind scrambles to think of something and Gaara's name comes from my mouth. He chooses dare. Sakura gives him an encouraging cheer, "Yeah! Go Gaara!" I look at the pinkette and an idea sparks, "I dare you t-t-to let Sakura do you m-make-up!" Sakura doesn't wait for his reply and sprints to the bathroom to grab some supplies. The redhead has a look of dread as his teal eyes follow her slim frame across the room. We set a time limit for five minutes so we're not here all night watching her give him a contour. She has him sit on the floor and is knelt in front of him applying eye liner.

The girl is so close to his face and so focused on her task that she doesn't notice the small blush on Gaara's pale skin, bu Sasuke and I do. Does Gaara like Sakura or is he just nervous because she's a girl and she's so close? He is only seventeen so he may be inexperienced with women, which I can't judge because I'm pretty much a nun when it comes to experience. I glance over at Sasuke and he sends me a wink when he notices my red face, then shaking his head shamefully at how easily my face gets red. He glances at his smart watch, "One minute left, you two."

Sakura breaks out of her trance and backs up a few inches, "Oh no! I only have his eyes done!" She frantically reaches into her bag and pulls out some soft pink lipstick. When she starts applying it to his lips, she finally seems to notice how close they are and her cheeks turn a pretty pink, just like her hair. Once their time is up, Sakura puts up her supplies and then sits next to me. I feel her nudge my leg and lean over to hear her whisper excitedly in my ear, "Dare me to kiss Sasuke or something next time!" I nod at her with a blush. Gaara speaks up with his make-up looking actually not bad on him. It doesn't suite his serious demeanor which makes it even funnier, "Sasuke, truth or dare?" Said Uchiha scoffs, "What do you think?"

Gaara replies without a second thought, "I dare you to kiss Hinata." All hell breaks loose in the room as soon as his words leave his mouth. Sasuke is laughing, Sakura is arguing, and I'm trying to convince him to change his dare! After a moment, Sasuke hushes us all, "A dare is a dare!" I shake my head frantically, "N-NO! You don't have t-t-t-to! It's okay, w-w-we can all just g-g-go to bed!" My first kiss has been saved up til now for Naruto. As though he's read my mind, Sasuke crawls over to sit directly in front of me, "That blonde idiot's probably kissed plenty of girls and you haven't kissed a single guy. Why not get the awkward first kiss out of the way now so you don't ruin it when it's with him?"

Sakura doesn't seem angry with his logic and even agrees, "He kind of has a point, Hinata. Do you want us to give you guys some privacy?" Panic is shooting through my veins now and I'm trying hard not to look directly at Sasuke's very handsome face now that he's right in front of me. "She'll probably pass out again if you don't." Just a sliver of annoyance slips into the panic and I glare directly into his eyes as the other two step into Sakura's room to give us some space. Sasuke is on his knees in front of me and I'm sitting with my legs crossed. He leans forward, putting his weight onto his hands on the ground on either side of my legs. To my surprise, he whispers encouragingly so the others can't hear, "Don't be nervous. We're just friends." I nod at him, finally accepting that we're actually doing this.

He stops coming closer a few inches in front of me and lets me do the rest. I gingerly reach up a hand place it on his shoulder. He nods to let me know that it's okay and I close my eyes. His lips close over mine and a small squeak of excitement leaves me. His lips move expertly over mine and I try to mimic his movements for a few moments before finally finding what feels right. My other hand reaches up to naturally lay on the back of his neck. My face and body are burning hot with nervousness, but that familiar cloud of dizziness is no-where in sight. Just as I've gotten comfortable, his lips seem to lose the caution they previously had and it's as though a fire erupts in him. One of his hands reach up behind my head to hold me still then he slips his tongue through my lips when I gasp in shock of his sudden movement. His mouth tastes like the mint gum he was chewing after dinner and my legs ache to un-cross.

My hand that rested on the back of his neck nervously slips up to run through his naturally messy hair and then the door to Sakura's room opens, "Oh, damn! You all really went for it!" Sasuke chuckles and pulls away from me, shooting a cocky wink at Sakura as he moves back to his original spot. She sits down next to me with Gaara also returning to his spot. I'm pretty much in shock at this point, my mind replaying what just happened over and over again. Sakura laughs at my stunned face, "So, how was it?" Sasuke answers because everyone knows that I'm not capable of it right now, "It wasn't bad for her first time! You'll definitely get laid by the idiot, don't you think?"

I finally look over at him and am able to glare at his constant teasing. He thinks he's so great and it's obnoxious, even if he's right. He ignores me, "It's my turn then, right? Sakura, truth or dare?" She chooses dare and I feel like a total prude for being the only one to choose truth. "I dare you to run down the hallway in your underwear." Sakura's face turns red with anger, "You just want to see my underwear, you pervert!" Sasuke chuckles, "I won't look! We'll have Hinata watch." The pinkette ponders the dare for a moment before rising to her feet and heading to her room to undress. Sasuke gives Gaara and I an exaggerated thumbs up, "I didn't think she'd actually do it." Said young woman emerges from her room with her pink bed-sheet wrapped around her body to hide it from the boys, "I heard that and I'm not a pussy, Uchiha."

She walks across the room and opens the door just a crack to check the hall for others. She motions for me to come watch the door and once I'm in place she rushes to the far end of the hall. Her face is as red as a tomato when she raises her arms, unwrapping her sheet and running down the hall with it flowing behind her like a superhero's cape. Her bra and underwear are an innocent matching white pair and are very cute. Just as she's reaching the end of the hall where the elevator is, it dings and the doors open. Thankfully for Sakura, it's just Tenten inside and the pop-star let's out a surprised yet amused laugh before tackling the pink-haired girl to the ground. The boys hear the rustling and open the door all the way, just in time to see Tenten finish rolling Sakura into a sheet-cocoon.

She has Gaara come pick her up since she can't carry her herself. He tosses her easily onto the couch and Tenten is cackling loudly, "What the fuck are you guys doing!? What if I was a guy!" Sakura manages to wiggle her legs free enough to get to her feet and head to her room to get dressed again, "Truth or dare!" Tenten flops down on the floor in-between Gaara and Sasuke, clapping her hands together, "Without me? How dare you!" When Sakura comes back out of her room, she's in her pajamas, but we continue playing a few more rounds of the game, with Tenten included this time. By the end of the night Tenten licked the bottom of Gaara's shoe, Sasuke had prank called Shizune's person cell phone, I'd let Sakura try to spike my hair, and a dozen other crazy things happened.

As I lay in bed after everyone's returned to their own rooms, I smile to myself. I feel happier than I have maybe ever. I've just met these people and already feel as though we're great friends. I roll to my side and hug a pillow to my body. Is this what popular people get to feel like all the time? I wonder if they realize how lucky they are. My phone vibrates on my nightstand and I reach over to see who could be texting me at this hour. Is it Naruto already?

My excitement diminishes when that same unsaved number pops up on my screen and it's a photo of a man's private parts followed by a message saying _Thinking about you_. My face explodes with heat and I quickly reply _STOP TEXTING ME_. Suigetsu is getting more and more brave and it's weighing even more heavily on my mind. Should I change my number? I delete the photo from my messages in disgust. It's not like I haven't seen one before. Even shy girls like me get curious and google stuff once in a while, but it's disgusting when it's unsolicited. Is there anything I can really do other than wait for him to get bored of bothering me?

* * *

***Grovelling on my knees* **

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	7. The Third Day

I have trouble falling asleep and when I wake in the morning, it's before my alarm has even gone off. I roll over to get comfortable and see Sakura standing by my bed with a surprised look. A surprised scream slips from my lips and I unintentionally hit her with my pillow, thinking she's a burglar. She falls against the wall with her hands up in defense, laughing as she picks up the pillow and tosses it back at me, "It's just me! I was checking if you want to go work out with me." I glance over at my phone and see that it's only four in the morning.

She quickly returns to her usual groggy in the morning self and goes to check the door because someone has knocked frantically. We both assume it's Tenten. I climb off my bed and stand in my doorway. The door opens to reveal a wide-awake and concerned looking Gaara. Sakura squeals in surprise, hiding her scantily clad body behind the door. She never wears pants to bed so he just saw her in her panties and a t-shirt. His face is even more red than it was when she did his make up last night and he moves to put a hand over his eyes, letting her know he wasn't peeking, "I heard a scream."

The walls in these rooms are paper thin. Even from the furthest end of the living room you can hear the boys talking in their rooms. Of course their voices are muffled because they aren't loud speakers casually, but you can still tell who is who by the tone and timbre. Sakura's face is the same color as Gaara's and she looks him up and down as he has his eyes covered and can't see her enjoying the view of his shirtless torso. His muscles aren't super defined, but are definitely present and she seems to approve. Hell, even I approve. I wonder what Naruto looks like shirtless?

"Oh, we're sorry about that! I scared Hinata, that's all." He peeks from behind his fingers and I wave awkwardly from the living room. He nodds in understanding, letting out an awkward laugh, "I'll be going then." Sakura shortly waves at him before shutting the door right in his face, then turning to me to and making a silent screaming face with her hands on her cheeks. She whispers under her breath, "God _damn!_"

We both put on some work-out clothes and head down to the second floor to the large gym. While we're doing some stretches together, she's frowning to herself. I smile at her, "Isn't Gaara s-sweet?" He's quite a stoic person, but he shows often that he's also caring and polite. Sakura snaps out of her daze and nods, "Yeah, he's a good guy." I find it odd how short she's being about him, but don't push the subject. We work out together for an hour or so before Sakura let's me know that she's going to go out and get coffee from a cafe in town.

That girl is so bad at cooking, she can't even make instant coffee without messing it up, but that's just one of her quirks. She's pretty amazing at almost everything else so I guess it's not that big of a deal. Especially since we're room-mates and I adore cooking. I cook and she cleans. I continue jogging on the treadmill, headphones blaring Tenten's newest album into my ears. Out of my peripheral I see someone climb onto the treadmill next to mine and feel awkward. There are about ten treadmills on this wall and none of them are being used but mine, yet they choose the one right next to me. I glance over and do a double take. The great Sasuke Uchiha is slipping his headphones in with a look of death about him.

He meets my disbelieving eyes and chooses to ignore me, turning on the machine and beginning to jog himself. I return my eyes to the little screen on my own machine and do my best to ignore his presence. For about half an hour we jog together in silence. Just when I reach to stop my treadmill so I can head upstairs to get ready for my vocal lesson, Sasuke stops his and looks at me expectantly. I click mine off, wiping sweat from my face with the towel over my shoulders. He motions with his head to follow him so I do. He leads me out of the gym and through the busy hall until we're in the packed elevator.

Sweat is still running down the sides of my face, now more because of the sheer closeness of Sasuke's body to mine in the small room. He's stood behind me and you can barely slip a book in between us. Finally, the elevator doors open and I rush out before my nerves can cause another fainting spell. He follows me much more slowly, the rest of the trainees also getting out on the dorm floor. I fumble with my keys and he lightly nudges my back with his elbow when he passes me to head to his own room. My eyes meet his in shock and he rolls his eyes at my flustered face.

I'm finally able to get into my room and am shocked to find Tenten waiting for me there, helping herself to some of Sakura's green tea and watching the early morning news. Her hair's up in two high buns, one of her more trademark looks, and she's in designer sweatpants and a sports-bra with a bomber jacket over it. "Good morning Hinata! Hurry up and shower so we can meet Jiraiya. Sakura texted me and said she'll be back in about ten minutes." With a nod, I rush and pick out a casual but nice outfit for the day then hurry to jump into the shower. I'm tearing my shirt off over my head as I shut the door behind me and hear the dreaded sound of someone snickering just as I'm done locking the door behind me.

I turn slowly to see who it is laughing at me, praying that it's not who I think it is, but of course it's Sasuke Uchiha with nothing but a towel around his waist. My balance fades and my hand reaches out to grab something to hold on to and he steps forward to try and help, but I cover my eyes with my other hand, "N-No! Don't come any closer!" He snickers once again, "You should really knock before entering, Hyuga." He turns his back as I peek through my fingers and leaves the room, "I'll let you have the bathroom just this once, but don't expect me to be so nice to you next time you barge in on me." The moment his door is closed, I stumble my way across the room to lock the door, not fully trusting him to stay out.

Once my shower is finished and I've applied a minimal amount of make up and gotten dressed, I unlock both the boys' door and mine before walking out to see Sakura and Tenten looking through Sakura's notebook of song lyrics. The two look over and motion for me to join them. I slide into a seat and thank Sakura for the coffee she'd gotten for me. Tenten snaps Sakura's notebook closed and puts her hands on her cheeks excitedly, "I have big news, ladies!" Sakura and I stare at her patiently so she continues, "Neji and I are going on our first date this Saturday at Masquerade!"

We all make varying noises of excitement, but Tenten quickly hushes us. Sakura and I glance at each other. There's more? "I'm sneaking you guys in so you can have a night off before your debut or if I need to ask you guys for advice. I've never dated someone as business-y and serious as him and I'm nervous!" I remember what Tsunade had recommended for me to do to try and "sex it up" a little, and nod in excitement, but Sakura speaks before I can, "Can the boys come, too?" Tenten winks at her knowingly, "Thinking about putting in some Uchiha work?"

Sakura's face pinks slightly, but she nods anyway. So Tenten knows about her plan to seduce Sasuke then? I wonder how she feels about it since we're all going to be in a group for the next two years at least. Tenten and I soon head to my vocal lesson and it goes fairly smoothly. It's not easy to remember all the little things necessary for healthy singing. After leaving the warm up room to head off to lunch, I run into both Gaara and Sasuke in the hallway outside of our rooms. They both acknowledge appearance in their own ways, Sasuke rolling his eyes and Gaara giving a small smile. I approach them nervously, "U-Um, do you guys want to go to Masquerade with Tenten, S-Sakura, and I this weekend?"

Both boys' eyes widened in surprise. Gaara looks more concerned than excited, but Sasuke's face lights up, "I'll never pass up an opportunity to see you in a place like that!" He looks briefly to his side and rolls his eyes, waving an annoyed hand, "Gaara's coming too, don't worry." Said redhead shoots a short frown to his partner before nodding in agreement. The two then retreat into their room, their loud bickering only muffled when the door closes behind them. I enter my own room and prepare a fruit salad before sitting at the dining table and pulling out my phone while I munch calmly away. I'd left the device in my room during practice so I wouldn't be tempted to look at it. When I unlock the screen, I notice a few text messages and emails awaiting me and eagerly scroll through them until my eyes finally land on what I'd been praying to find: a text message from Naruto.

Opening the message, I read the message slowly so as to not miss a single thing. _"Hey, Hinata, it's Naruto! I enjoyed seeing you last night and hope to get together for dinner or coffee soon! Karin spent the entire ride home trying to convince me to not text you, but I don't care what she thinks. She's a bitch. Anyway, call me when you're free! :)" _I save his number to my phone and ponder on how I should reply, settling on just being honest. _"I'm relieved to get your message. I was honestly worried you wouldn't contact me at all... I'm also excited to hang out and I'll let you know when I'm done with my lessons for the day!" _Once the message is sent, I back out to see what other messages are waiting for me.

There's one from Hanabi that catches my eye. She is odd in that she texts me as though the family drama that's going on isn't happening, instead her message has a link in it with a short message from her underneath it. _"Father is gonna be so mad when he sees this, Sis! Who's the hottie?"_ A click of the link and a semi-heart attack later and I'm struggling to unwedge a chunk of fruit from my throat. Once I can breathe again, I look back at the article on my screen in terror. The headline states **"****An Uchiha/Hyuga Merge?"** and is followed with a very clear photo of Sasuke and I in front of the agency when I'd been pulled and he'd helped me to my feet. The photographer who'd taken the shot must be very talented to make the scene appear as scandalous as it does. I'm clinging onto Sasuke's arm and looking up at him with what appears to be yearning, but Sasuke's looking slightly past the camera and looking every bit as a top-paid male model with a hard glare and clenched jaw. I reply back to my little sister with a short explanation on what really happened.

Yet another photo of Suigetsu's genitalia is also waiting and I delete the message as quickly as possible, trying to not look at it so it doesn't burn itself into my memory. There's one more message waiting for me and it's from Sakura. I click it open and sit up a little straighter in my chair. It's a selfie of her and Naruto, but that's not what peeks my interest. The clear form of Shizune, the secretary, hunched over her desk doing paperwork in the background is what has me curious. When did they take this? _"Look who I ran into!" _So she ran into him today, then? Why hasn't he mentioned to me that he's in the building? Perhaps he thinks I'm busy and doesn't want to interrupt my day. That's probably it. I text her back asking what he's doing here and finally finish up my short lunch before heading to the restroom to brush my teeth and wash my face before heading off to dance practice.

I manage to dodge body after body in the hallways until I finally reach the dance studio and enter quickly, already working up a sweat just from trying to be on time. I scramble to get into position as Tsunade immediately turns on the music and starts barking orders in that booming voice of hers. It's as if she knew I was coming! The music isn't as loud as yesterday so I can hear her more detailed instructions, but I still feel the bass shake my rib-cage with each beat. The singers on the song she's playing are just sample singers so we aren't just listening to instrumentals, seeing as we haven't recorded this song yet. It's called Say My Name and is heavy and modern. The steps that Tsunade's instructing me to do are similarly fast-paced with Latin and a sprinkle of hip hop added.

After going over the footwork with me , she pulls me in front of her and shows me where my hands should be before restarting the song so we can try to run through what I've learned thus far. My face turns a bright red and I try to look at anything but the large breasts in my face, doing the steps as best I can and only fumbling a few times. She's playing the male part so I don't get confused. After a few hours of perfecting the choreography, we are finally finished with it and she pauses the music. I turn to her, feeling quite a mess with my bangs sticking to my sweaty forehead and drops of perspiration running freely down my neck. She speaks in a matter-of-fact voice, "You're showing clear signs of improvement, Hinata. Keep up the hard work. Have you taken my advice from the other day, yet?"

My face stays hot as I know exactly what she's referring to, "W-Well, this weekend we're all going to a c-club so maybe that would be a good time to try, r-r-right?" She nods in approval, "Indeed. Just be careful and aware of your surroundings." I nod seriously, suddenly more anxious about going than before. Tsunade looks over at the doorway as the door opens and I follow her gaze, surprised to see Kakashi standing there with a friendly grin. "What can we do for you, Kakashi?" The CEO's grin widens in greeting to his old friend and colleague before he turns his gaze down onto me, "I've come to make sure Hinata is settling in well. How are you, young lady?"

I give him the most confident smile I can manage, "I'm e-e-enjoying learning, thank you! T-Tsunade is a great teacher." The blonde woman glances at me with the smallest hint of a smile, but quickly returns to normal, addressing Kakashi again, "She is learning very quickly. As long as she keeps up the good work, we'll be right on track for the debut. We were lucky with this one." An unfamiliar swell of pride rises in my chest. Did she really mean that? A small smile tugs at the corners of my lips and tears well up happily, but I reign them in so I can focus on the remainder of their conversation. "Do you think we can speed things up and have her ready for co-ed by the end of the day on Friday?" My dance instructor glances from her colleague to me and back, "It'll be hard work, but I think we can manage, right Hinata?"

I meet her gaze and nod confidently, eager to impress my higher-ups. When Kakashi excused himself, Tsunade wordlessly turns the music back on and we go through the whole dance a few more times until our time comes to a close. Just before I can leave the room, the blonde stops me once more, "By the way, Sasuke will be your partner for this song and the other two will be partners." She explains that Sasuke and I would be doing the majority of the singing so the other two would be further up front so they can show their dance skills. Everyone will be showcasing their best assets. The song is odd for me because some of it is in Spanish. It's not that I don't like other languages, it's just I'm worried that one of us will mispronounce a word and fans will be outraged.

My head is beginning to pound at just the thought of Sasuke being as close to me as Tsunade just was and I wordlessly leave the room to head to my recording session with Sakura. When I come through the door, she's already in the booth recording what seems to be the last of her solo song. It's sounds sort of like a mix between pop and hip-hop, but more accurately is unlike any genre I've heard so I can't describe it well. Either way, Sakura's voice is husky and sexy as she sings. Her entire aura is oozing with confidence and I stand there in amazement for a few minutes until the song is finished and she opens her eyes to see me. I join her in the studio and accept her hug, "Y-You sound great!"

Her cheeks tinge the lightest shade of pink and she brushes her hair behind her ear bashfully, "You really think so?" I nod eagerly, "T-That song sounds like it's w-w-written just for your voice." She smiles happily at me and hugs me again, "Thanks, Hinata! You're so sweet." Asuma informs us that we're going to record our only duet today, called Ex. By the time our scheduled time is up, the producer let us know that they want us to record our parts in Over and Over Again during our next recording session. We thank Asuma before heading back to our room, exhausted after the long day of work. When we get there, we both go to our separate rooms for some relaxation. I still don't want to bother her so I try to not constantly be in the same room as her in fear that she'll become annoyed.

I practice playing Over and Over Again on my keyboard a few times before groaning at the familiar sensation of having an empty stomach. My phone vibrates, signalling an incoming text message, so I grab it on my way out of the room. I freeze once my door is open. Gaara, Sasuke, Sakura, and Ino are all clearing the dining table and freeze when my eyes land on them. Sakura puts her hands up in defense, "I was literally about to come get you, I swear!" I nod in relief, moving to sit between Gaara and Ino since the only other open seat is between Sakura and Sasuke and I don't want to get in her way if she wants to try to hit on him. Ino runs a hand through my hair playfully, "You're about to get your ass beat by the Monopoly Master, Hina."

A small laugh slips through my lips at her dramatics. Sakura and Sasuke continue un-boxing the game so I pull out my phone to check whatever message had arrived just a few moments ago. My whole being freezes at the photo on my screen. It's a selfie of a clearly inebriated Suigetsu standing in front of the agency's front doors. _"I've come for a visit, Hinata~" _I feel the blood in my face leave and quickly slam my phone down onto my lap so no one can see the photo. My eyes dance over to Ino and then over to Gaara, relieved that neither of them seemed to notice my panic. A cold sweat forms on my skin and I shakily scoot my chair out to get a glass of water to calm my nerves, only to stop when there's a loud knock on the door.

He can't have possibly found our room so quickly?!

* * *

**FULL PRESTIGE DEBUT ALBUM SONG LIST:**

**Dancing With A Stranger-Sam Smith ft. Normani- ALL**

**We Don't Talk Anymore- Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez- ALL**

**Sing-Ed Sheeran-Sasuke Solo**

**Got It-Marian Hill-Sakura Solo**

**Over and Over Again-Nathan Sykes ft. Ariana Grande-ALL**

**Catch Me-Demi Lovato-Hinata Solo**

**Imagine If-Gnash-Gaara Solo**

**Love Is Madness-Jared Leto Ft. Halsey-ALL**

**EX-Kiana Lede-Sakura and Hinata**

**Slow Hands-Niall Horan-Sasuke and Gaara**

**Say My Name-David Guetta ft. Bebe Rexha-ALL**


	8. Suigetsu

**WARNING: RATED M THEMES IN THIS CHAPTER INCLUDING SEXUAL ASSAULT!**

* * *

The phone slips through my fingers as I've lost my grip in shock. He can't have found us this quickly, right? Everyone turns to look at me in confusion, which has me fumbling to recollect my device before anyone can see the photo still pulled up on it's screen. I'm not quick enough to triumph over Ino's manicured hand and I even back off when I see her sharp nails coming close. She snatches up the phone like it's the last piece of meat on a buffet and she hasn't eaten in days. She instantly lets out a delighted squeal, "Hinata! Who is this?!" She gives me a wink, only to have Sakura rip the phone from her hands and said pinkette's jaw drops in an instant when she sees her former tormentor.

The person at the door knocks again, louder this time, and Sasuke rises to answer it, walking around the table with an annoyed look on his face and mumbling about how he has to answer the door even though it's not even his room. My body reacts on it's own and I shoot up and grab his arm in both hands to stop him, my eyes trained on the door and my body trembling with fear. All I know is that Suigetsu can't be allowed into this room and I have to do what I can to make sure that happens. That man would've taken advantage of me even further than he already had if a teacher hadn't interrupted and my whole being is against the idea of facing him again. Sasuke froze and opened his mouth to question me until he turned to see the clear looks of panic on both mine and Sakura's faces.

Everyone at the table stands because it's now clear that something is very wrong. My whole body feels ice cold and is shaking like so, but I can't give Sasuke a vocal reason for my actions. All I can do is watch in distress as the doorknob slowly begins to turn. My grip tightens on the Uchiha's sleeve and he actually takes a step forward to put himself between me and the door. The door finally opens and to all of our relief, it's just a very annoyed Tenten, "Are you all deaf? I've been knocking!" The relief I feel is so strong that I shakily make my way back to my seat at the table and place my forehead in my hand, taking measured breaths to calm my heartbeat. Everyone is silent and still, but Tenten remains oblivious and flounces into the kitchen to help herself to a snack while playing on her phone. Sakura finally breaks the silence when Tenten reappears at her side, a couple pretzels in one hand, "Why the hell are you receiving texts from him, Hinata!" I can't meet her gaze and just squeeze my eyes shut as I continue to try to stay calm.

The issue still isn't handled. Even if it was Tenten this time, he's still in the building somewhere looking for me. She comes around the table to stand next to Sasuke, taking another glance at the photo as he pulls the phone from her hands to see what all the fuss is about, "Oh my GOD! He's here, isn't he!? What should we do?" Tears start falling straight from my eyes onto the expensive wooden table and Ino lays a comforting hand on my shoulder while asking the question everyone wants to ask, "What the fuck is going on? Who is that?" I can't answer her clearly even though I try to explain, "I-I-I don't know..." Sakura is snapped from her daze of asking herself questions and she points quickly at me, "Hinata, you need to tell me when this stuff happens!"

She had stolen the phone back out of Sasuke's hands and had scrolled up to read the other messages, "He's been messaging you for days!" Not only was someone who wants to hurt me in the building looking for me, but I've also made a fool of myself in front of everyone. I'd even latched onto Sasuke like a damsel in distress. He'll never let me live it down! Sakura seems to notice my panic and took a deep breath to calm herself, "It's okay, right? It's okay. Don't worry. We'll come up with a plan to get rid of him." She points eagerly at the two boys in the room, "You two, do you think you can beat this guy up?"

She shows Gaara the picture before letting Sasuke take the phone once again. Gaara is silent and his expression blank, but he nods, "This is the one you told us about, Hinata?" I finally sit up and face everyone, nodding shamefully and wiping anxiously at my tears. Sasuke doesn't say anything but hands the phone back to Sakura, nodding with a frown. Tenten tosses her pretzels into the trash bin and puts her hands up, "Wait up, what is going on? Who are we beating up?" Sakura quickly explained that Karin's boyfriend is pretty much stalking me and is somewhere in the building drunk and looking for me. She immediately pulls her phone out and dials a number only to huff when whoever she'd dialed doesn't answer. "What good is it for us to have a house full of guards at the end of the property if they aren't going to answer their phones when it's time to do their jobs?"

Ino speaks up, "Why not just call Kakashi and have him banned from the agency. You guys probably can't do anything about Karin because of her name, but Suigetsu has no business here." Sakura shakes her head, "That's not going to help us right now, though. He's already in the building." Tenten starts dialing another number, "Fuck going to Kakashi, I'm calling Shizune right now." She walks absently around the room as it rings, only to be sent to voicemail again. She let's out a frustrated groan, "Does no one answer their phones anymore?" Ino rises to her feet and pulls Gaara up by one of his arms, also pulling Sasuke forward to stand on either side of her, "Well, if we can't find any staff to deal with one creep, we have two strong men right here who can!" Tenten and I both let out sounds of disagreement. The other four look back at us and Sakura says what she knows we're thinking, seeming to have changed her mind to agree with us, "They're right. You guys can't just put yourselves in danger for our sake."

Tenten cuts her off, "Why don't we all split into groups and search the building? Ino and I will go together since I have some pepper spray, and then you guys can pair up so each of you is with a boy that way if he tries to get physical they can take him down?" If it's up to me, I'd hide in my bedroom all night and just wait for someone to find him drunk and passed out in the morning, but if they're all brave enough to stand up to a bully, then I should be too. Sakura steps next to Sasuke, silently teaming up with him and I nervously glance at Gaara. He still has a blank expression, but something about it is off-putting. Tenten opens the door and we all head to the elevator in determined silence.

The doors open at the floor level and it's as though we've stepped into a thriller movie. Being past eleven in the evening, all the lights are off downstairs in the non-living area. The ground level is beyond giant and full of hallway after hallway of offices and meeting rooms. We all have our cellphones for light, but it's still unsettling. Tenten and Ino immediately link arms, Ino's phone's flashlight on and Tenten's pepper spray is up in the ready-to-spray position, "Send a text once you've found him!" With that we all split up and begin searching for the intruder.

**-With Sakura-**

If Suigetsu thinks he's going to lay another finger on me or Hinata, he's seriously mistaken. The last time he saw me, I was a pathetic little girl who couldn't stand up for herself, but not anymore. I'm going to beat him to a pulp if he even threatens to do anything. Despite my blood boiling with rage, I walk silently beside my too-handsome partner with my cell phone light checking every corner and crevice we pass. It's so out of character for him to go along with something like this, much less without so much as a complaint! I steal a glance at his profile as he searches further ahead with a glare. We've been searching for over five minutes now and have yet to find even a sign that our target's been here.

Sasuke's teeth grit in annoyance, causing his jaw line to flex and my stomach gave a familiar churn of excitement. His tan skin is so clean and clear, not to mention his naturally messy hair just begging to have my fingers ran through it. I feel a small blush start to rise on my face at the dirty thoughts littering my mind and am forced to look away before they become so impure I can't contain myself. He speaks suddenly in a low voice, making me physically jump at the sudden noise, "Enjoying the show?" My blood boils even hotter. There's something so sexual about being very attracted to him but also incredibly annoyed at the same time, "I suppose I am." Oh my gosh, I really just said that! The Uchiha glances down at me with a small smirk on his oh-so-yummy looking lips. God damn, I'm going to have to do something soon or I'll have to be excused to the little girl's room!

"Flattery won't get you very far, Sakura." My body feels cold. Does he know what my intentions are? If he's going to shoot me down, I would rather him shoot me down with all my cards on the table, not just a hint. I build up as much courage as I can and stop walking. He stops as well, a look of knowing on his features as he turns to face me. With shaking hands, I shove him lightly against the wall. The young man seems to have expected this and let's himself lean back, his face just as cocky as ever. I reach with my free hand and pull his head down to shove my lips passionately against his. He allows me to do what I want for a few moments, but doesn't match my energy. He simply kisses me back with no emotions. His hands don't move to touch my body or anything. I suppose that's what I'm looking for, anyway. I want to sleep with him, no strings attached and if we both are passionate about it we might get carried away. Despite this, the short make-out session I've forced on him is quite pleasing and it's obvious to me and him both that he's the best kisser I've witnessed so far, not that he has much competition!

His lips dance skillfully over mine as if he can tell what I'm going to do before I even do it. The warm feeling in the pit of my stomach starts to get tighter and more prominent, but something's off. Something isn't feeling right, but I pull back from his lips slightly to give him my speech anyway, "I want to sleep with you, not date you. If you want to stop at any time all you'll have to do is say so and I won't ask any questions." He doesn't say anything and I start to panic, "It won't affect our team work and I won't get mad or jealous if you get a girlfriend!"

I must sound so much older than I am. What eighteen year old girl asks for a friends with benefits relationship with someone as perfect as Sasuke Uchiha? He gently pushes me away from him and holds me at an arms length. When I see how his eyes appear darker with a carnal desire that I've never seen anyone direct towards me, my knees go weak. "We shouldn't do this, Sakura." His words don't match his obvious physical desires. Even his voice is raspy with want, only making it harder to resist pulling him aside into one of these offices and doing it right here and now. My skin feels hot and I'm finding it hard to focus on anything other than the spark igniting in my nether regions as a result of the man in front of me, "Why not? It's obvious you want to."

I try to lean forward for another kiss, but his hands hold me at bay, "Sakura, you've obviously never done this before. I'm an asshole, but I'm not that big of an asshole." The blinding attraction I was once feeling quickly dissipated and a shocked laugh of disbelief slips past my lips, "Excuse me? I pull away from him and take a step back, trying not to be hurt by his very blatant rejection and failing. I guess I did have some emotions invested after all, "Am I not good enough for you, Sasuke, is that it? Are you worried you'll have to baby me through it because it's my first time because you won't!" Sasuke straightens himself out and refocuses his phone's light on the hallway, getting back onto our primary mission but still replying to my questions, "I'm doing you a favor, believe me. Besides, I don't know if I can sleep with someone with pink hair."

His tone is, for once, joking and I realize he really is thinking about my best interest. Even if that is touching, I'm just going to find someone else to do it. I'd rather choose to give it to someone and it not mean anything than have it stolen away by someone I don't want to have it. I'm silent for a moment before joking back with him to let him know I'm not angry at him anymore, "So, what, do you prefer dark hair like Hinata's?" He reacts quickly, snorting in amusement, "Please! Hinata's going to die a virgin." My eyes widen in shock. He didn't say no! I quicken my steps to match his and try to get some more information from him, "I don't know. Naruto seemed very interested in her last night." Sasuke doesn't answer in any way and I quickly change the subject so it doesn't get awkward, "So when we find this guy, let me hit him a few times before we turn him in." The Uchiha glances over at me with his usual annoyed glare, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you want."

**-With Tenten-**

The boys don't know about Sakura's little plan so everything is working out perfectly! It says in their contracts that bandmates aren't allowed to have intimate relations, but I'm sure as hell not going to tell on them! As long as Kakashi and the public don't find out and it doesn't affect their work, I see nothing and hear nothing. Ino snickers all of a sudden and pulls me from my thoughts, "Sakura just text me. She got rejected!" The blonde let's out a cackle that can scare even the wildest of demons. Instead of judging her, I join her in cackling. This seems like a great start to a wonderful friendship. Ino and I have crossed paths before, but did little more than greet each other because there was no real need for us to have a conversation which would ultimately spark a friendship. I glance over at my new acquaintance and smile. I'm really glad Sakura introduced us!

We eventually settle down, only for me to whisper in a gossip-y tone, "You know Gaara is like love-at-first-sight in love with Sakura, right?" Ino's eyes light up and she gasps dramatically, "No way!" I snicker under my breath, "Of course he is! He just doesn't know it yet...Either way, I'm kind of relieved she got rejected!" Gaara deserves someone like Sakura after all he's been through. I think he knows he loves her, but just doesn't know what love is yet so he can't tell. His parents both died in a car accident when he was just a toddler and his two older siblings struggled to raise him alone so they all wouldn't be separated. Temari, his older sister and my old classmate, was actually coming to the agency multiple times a week to try and get him scheduled for an audition.

We used to be good friends in middle school, but when I got signed to the agency and finished my schooling online we lost touch. His brother, Kankuro, who is much older than the other two siblings, had had some run-ins with the law a few years back for dealing drugs to try and make ends meet at home. Temari had assured us that he, and the rest of them, had never partaken in the use of illegal substances, but he'd simply sold them for the large amounts of money to be made. Their efforts to get Gaara an audition had been kept a secret from both Kakashi and me by the old secretary, Yana because she was trying to help the company's image in her own little way. However, the moment I found out about the Subaku's, I went to Kakashi and demanded to at least let him audition. You can say that I scouted him if you want. I always do!

Unfortunately, since Yana had been hiding literally hundreds of applications, she was let go and our trusty Shizune took her place. Yana had good intentions, but it just wasn't her decision to make whether those applicants got the chance to audition or not. The moral of this short story is that Gaara deserves something good in his life, like someone who can understand some of the pain he's felt. Sakura, too, lost her father and grew up in a home struggling to make ends meet. Sakura only recently lost her father, but she'll no doubt understand what it would've been like if it'd happened earlier. I was actually taking Gaara out for lunch a month or so after he'd been signed. We'd gone to this little karaoke place that he said had great nachos and we overheard Sakura singing as we passed by her room. I got nosy and decided to check her out and when I saw the way Gaara's face looked when he laid eyes on her, the rest was history.

Of course she showed great promise, even back then, and I would've chosen to have her audition for Kakashi even if Gaara wasn't with me, but the look of surprise on his features really sealed the deal. I wasn't going to leave the karaoke bar without the short pinkette agreeing to try out. Ino links arms with me and snickers, pulling me from my train of thought. I told her about my date with Neji on Saturday and how everyone would be coming. She, too, agreed to tag along and we've come up with a plan to get Prestige more comfortable with themselves. With Ino's careful eyes on them, we'll just make sure their drinks are all paid for so they can loosen up and have a good time, especially Hinata. Something tells me she'll perk up with a few shots in her! Nothing creates bonds faster than getting plastered together! I join Ino, once again, in maniacal laughter for a moment before we shush down so we can try to find this dickhead and turn him in to the police for harassment.

**-With Hinata-**

I was nervous at first to be partnered with Gaara, worried that since we're both quiet it would get awkward, but thankfully it isn't awkward at all. Gaara's been walking just slightly ahead of me with his light searching the halls for the past ten minutes. I, too, have my phone, but it's nearly dead so I'm not using my battery up by using the flashlight. We nearly pass a restroom and Gaara slows to a stop, "Can you excuse me for just a moment?" My face heats up at his soft yet deep voice, but I nod in silence. He heads inside and I notice a water fountain a few feet away. I head over and get a quick drink. There's not doubt in my mind that Sakura's making her move somewhere within these winding hallways. It's become obvious to me that she may actually succeed and I honestly don't know how I feel about it.

Of course I'm happy that she's getting what she wants, but a larger part of me is upset that she doesn't want to make the first time count. Under all of that there's also a tiny sliver of jealousy and I'm almost tempted to admit that I wonder what it must feel like to have sex with someone, willingly of course. The second the thought strikes my mind, my face heats up in embarrassment when Naruto's face also appears. I close my eyes and take a deep breath to calm my raging hormones, standing up straight. I feel someone's hand clamp roughly over my mouth and drop my phone in shock. The sound of it thudding against the carpet sends waves of dread through my body. Another hand wraps around my torso and pulls me flush against my attack, who could only be the person we've been searching for: Suigetsu.

I try to scream, but the sound's muffled against the person's skin. My eyes shoot from side to side in panic as I start to be pulled away with haste. The odor of alcohol reaches my nose and I want nothing more than to be away from this disgusting man. My arms push against his arm around my torso to no avail and my legs try to land a kick where it would hurt him the most, but I'm angled in a way that makes it very difficult. I hear Gaara suddenly yell out my name in the distance as he no doubt saw my phone on the ground and tried as hard as I could to get away. The heel of my foot clipped my captor's private parts finally and he moved his hand from my mouth in pain, "You bitch!" He whispered into my ear. I took a deep breath and let out the loudest scream I could to signal my location to my friends.

Suigetsu slapped his hand over my mouth again, much harder than before. It's clear to me that he's losing his patience already. Before even Gaara could find us, he pulls us through a random office door and locks it behind us. There's no window on the door and I fear the others won't find us in time. Tears start running down my cheeks and sweat drips down the side of my face. I feel the telltale signs of a panic attack coming, but was shaken from my panic by being thrown roughly onto the ground. My head smacked against the un-carpeted floor and my vision fogs over for a few moments. I sit up to reach with shaky hands to feel the side of my head and sure enough there's a wetness on my fingers. I'm bleeding. I hear the undeniable sound of a pocketknife opening and turn to see Suigetsu holding a four inch knife not two inches from my leg, "Make any noise and I'll start cutting."

The only form of light in the room is from the analog clock on the wall across the room, but it's enough for me to see the crazed look in his eyes. He's dead serious. I nod slowly, not wanting to set him off in any way. He roughly pushes me back down again and my head once again cracks against the floor in the same spot. The pain is immense and my vision becomes even foggier than before, like a television set on the lowest brightness setting. He climbs over me and places the knife at my neck, straddling my hips and placing my hands under his knees so I can't fight him. His voice is barely a whisper, "Why didn't you text me back, Hinata?" I try to reply, thinking that's what he wants, "I-I d-d-!"

He cuts me off by pushing the knife dangerously against my neck, just a millimeter away from drawing blood, "I said to keep quiet!" My eye catches sight of one of my sandals, which had fallen off during our struggle and is caught halfway under the door. A small sliver of hope shines within me. I just have to keep Suigetsu quiet so I can listen for footsteps outside. I won't be able to hear anything with him yelling at me so I clamp my mouth shut, the only sounds coming out of me are whines once in a while in pain from my head injury and his knees on top of my hands. He smiles brightly at me, eyes half-lidded in his drunkenness, "That's more like it. Now, don't you move a muscle unless I tell you to, got it?" His words are slurred, but his hands are steady enough to make me worry. He releases my hands from under his knees and scoots back a few inches so he can pull me into a sitting position once again. I glance back to the side once I'm all the way up and notice a small puddle of blood on the linoleum where my head was. The gash must be pretty deep if it's bleeding that much!

My anxiety strengthens tenfold, but it doesn't stop there. Suigetsu tugs my hoodie roughly up and over my head without a warning. He then shoves me forcefully back down to the ground. This time when my head hits the ground, I find it hard to look around or move my body anymore. He must not notice my head injury or surely he wouldn't keep hitting the same spot. I open my mouth to try and let him know that I'm really hurt, but the second I try to form a word, his lips are pressed against mine and his tongue is in my mouth. My eyes widen in surprise and I weakly try to push him off, but just don't have the ability to do so. His free hand is wondering my body as it pleases, groping my breasts and touching my waist hungrily.

I try to shove his tongue out of my mouth, but he thinks it's me trying to kiss him back, "I didn't know you were so eager!" He tosses the knife a few feet away and returns to shoving his tongue down my throat. His now free hand slips down my body and toward my shorts. His other hand is supporting his body weight. I desperately try to get away from him, but it's no use. His hand slides over my shorts and he rubs circles into my lady parts through the clothing. It feels everything except right. I tighten my legs closed as hard as I can to try and keep his hand away, but he pushes them apart with one of his knees. I let out a panicked, "No!" when his hand slides under my shorts and to my surprise, the handle of the door jiggles.

Suigetsu doesn't seem to notice and I have to keep it that way so I try to breathe slightly louder to cover up the sounds of whoever was trying to break in. He whispers in a sloshed voice, "You like that, don't you?" His hand continues to rub circles into my core, this time only through my underwear. I'm trying to stifle my sobs as he shoves his face into my neck to leave sloppy kisses there. The door finally opens and I see Sakura tackle him to the ground and off of me. I try to get up, but can't get upright without a searing pain shooting through my whole body. I turn my head to see Sakura frozen as she holds down Suigetsu. Tears are streaming down her cheeks as he lays there motionless. He'd apparently been knocked out when she tackled him.

Her hands are trembling and her green eyes dark and terrified. "God damn, Sakura! I told you to-!" Sasuke appears in the doorway and he shuts up the moment he lays eyes on us. A breathless Gaara appears directly behind him and his eyes lock onto Sakura immediately before turning to the man she's precautionarily holding down. He shoves past Sasuke and heads straight to her, "Sasuke, get Hinata." His voice is low and menacing. I try to look over and make sure Sakura's okay, but my vision is too dark in the peripheral to make out her figure. Sasuke silently kneels down next to me and puts my sweater over my torso to try and save me some dignity before picking me up with ease, bridal style. His body feels warm against mine, much different than Suigetsu's. For some reason his cologne helps stop the seemingly endless tears falling from my eyes. He turns to head out of the room when my eyes slid closed. I hear Ino and Tenten's frantic voices momentarily before completely accepting unconsciousness.


	9. The HospitalThe Fourth Day

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My eyes crept open and a blinding light shoots electricity through my head, a groan slipping past my lips as I try to reach up and cover them. My arm is snagged on something and I peek through my wince to see an IV in my arm. My body feels absolutely the definition of uncomfortable and once I've adjusted to the stale lighting, I look around the room. Sakura and Tenten are asleep at my bedside, leaning on each other and looking ripe for a photo op. I reach my free hand up and feel the back of my head, only to touch the bandages wrapped around it. "Don't mess with it or it'll start bleeding again."

In the doorway stands Neji with a clear look of exhaustion on his features. Tears fill my eyes as the memory of what happened return all at once, "N-Neji..." The tall young man steps into the room and pulls a chair up to the side of my bed opposite Tenten and Sakura's sleeping forms. He lets me grasp onto one of his much larger hands and reaches up with a clean tissue to dab a few stray tears from my cheeks, "Sakura explained everything." Shame seeps into my being and my desperate grip on his hand loosens slightly, but his tightens to make up for it.

He stares me straight into the eyes, but I see no anger in them, "Why didn't you tell me things were this bad?" A shuffling approaching the open door fairly quickly distracts both of us from our conversation and to my absolute shock, a disheveled Naruto rushes into the room. The loose change in his pocket jingling with each of his quick steps quickly woke both Sakura and Tenten from their slumber. When his cerulean eyes land on me, they widen in surprise and he lets out a noise of surprise, "Hinata! You're awake!" The two girls in the room look at him in confusion before turning to me and shooting up in unison to tackle me into a group hug. Tenten is silent and surprisingly serious, but Sakura is nearly sobbing.

When the two pull back, Neji releases my hand so Sakura can hold it and she does so with vigor. She wipes at her heavily falling tears with her free hand and smiles sadly, "Hey Hina. How're you feeling?" My face is red with discomfort and the question I'm thinking slips out before I can stop it, "Why are you c-c-crying?" The girl freezes for a moment before letting out a small laugh, "I suppose you've never had a friend there to worry about you, have you?" She's been worried about me? I look over at Tenten, who nods and seems to be trying her best to hold back her own rising tears. Naruto sits at the foot of my bed and pats Sakura's back a few times in an attempt to comfort her while talking to me, "You've been out for almost ten hours and the doctors said that you may not wake up for days since, well, your head and all..."

His usually cheerful face lacks any type of positivity as he averts his gaze down onto the linoleum floor. Neji's cell phone begins vibrating and he wordlessly excuses himself from the room to take the call. A part of me feels betrayed that Gaara and Sasuke aren't here, but a larger part of me feels selfish for assuming they'd want to waste their time visiting me in a depressing place like a hospital. My eyes drift sadly down onto the white blanket covering my body and Sakura squeezes my hand, her voice soothing, "Hey, everything's gonna be okay. Suigetsu is on house arrest until his trial." Surprise has me returning my gaze to hers in shock, "H-he's not in j-j-jail?!" Naruto spoke up then, "My aunt bailed him out." Sakura and Tenten both hang their heads in disdain. He doesn't wait for me to ask why she'd do that and answers the question without a pause, "She won't tell me or even Karin why she did it. The only thing she said is that it's between her and Suigetsu's family." Tenten stands slowly and motions for Sakura to follow her, "Let's give them a minute to talk alone."

Sakura looks between Naruto and I before nodding sadly and following our mentor out of the room, shutting the door behind them. Naruto's gaze moves from the floor up to my face and he moves from the foot of my bed to sit where Sakura had been, at my side. I'm sure if I wasn't on some strong feeling pain killers right now, I'd have a mad blush on my face at how close he was. He confidently slips my free hand into both of his and looks down at them as they rest on my lap. I feel more ashamed than anything. Naruto now knows that I've been involved in all of this drama and it has to have some affect on his perception of me. I look away from his boyish face to blink a few tears back. I nearly jump when he suddenly speaks, "I can't apologize enough to you, Hinata."

He squeezes my hand gently before finally meeting my gaze. His cerulean eyes are dark with remorse, "I was drinking with Suigetsu and some other friends last night. When he left and said he was going to hit a girl up, I never imagined it would be you and I would've never imagined he'd do what he did, or at least tried to do..." I take in this information and a small part of me does feel upset with him, but not for the reasons you think. What strikes me as wrong is that Suigetsu was knowingly leaving to cheat on his cousin and he did nothing to stop him. Even if Karin is one of the nastiest human beings I've ever met, no one deserves to be cheated on. "D-Does Karin know about a-a-a-any of this?" Naruto's eyes widen before he nods, "She dumped him the moment she found out." Surprise meets my body. Who would've thought that Karin would do something logical like that? Relief floods over me for some reason at knowing Karin was no longer in danger of Suigetsu doing something similar to her. Naruto's eyes drop once again down to our hands and I squeeze his encouragingly, "H-Hey, I'm not u-u-upset with you."

He meets my gaze with a relieved grin before leaning forward suddenly, only stopping an inch or so from my face as though he just now realizes what he's doing. He opens his mouth with a red face, about to apologize for his brisk actions no doubt, but I swallow my nerves and gently press a small kiss into his lips. Before he can react, I slowly pull away and shoot my gaze down to our hands again. I can't bear to see disgust on his face so it's best not to look at all. I did it and that's what matters to me. The door to my hospital room suddenly shoots open, Naruto tears his hands away from mine, and tears form in my eyes at the sight of Gaara and Sasuke walking through it as though they own the place. Sasuke, in the lead, tosses a small bag onto the foot of the bed before flopping down in a chair next to Naruto. Gaara's eyes land on mine instantly and he offers the smallest hint of a smile, "You're awake."

I nod, wiping a few stray tears from my face. Sasuke's eyes shoot up and he looks to be in shock for a moment before visually forcing himself to reappear calm and collected. Naruto reaches to the shelf behind my bed and hands me a tissue, which I accept and dab at my tears with. Sakura and Tenten reappear and suddenly my room is crowded with people. A casual conversation erupts between all of us, but is soon interrupted with Neji returning with an uncomfortable look about him. He speaks in a serious voice, which shuts everyone up in an instant, "Your father is here to see you." Tenten shoots to her feet and quickly ushers everyone out of the room, Neji giving me a warning glance before heading out as well. Panic is running through my body, but I do my best to remember how happy I've felt these past few days and let it empower me to not lose confidence in the face of my biggest anxiety aggressor.

Father strides through the doorway, shutting the door behind him silently. I attempt to bow in respect as best I can in my hospital bed, but the moment his unimpressed eyes land on me, my body freezes. He wastes no time in verbally punishing me, "You must be feeling quite proud of yourself, Hinata." He motions for me to get out of bed and stand before him, no doubt knowing fully well the extent of my injuries. I do so, of course, without complaint and nearly fall to the floor immediately due to a massive rush of blood to my head. He makes no move to steady me and I reach up to place a hand upon my bed so as not to collapse. "How could someone so weak come from my family?" He isn't actually asking me so I just hold his eye contact in silence. My body is shaking with effort to stay upright, but I grit my teeth and bear it. "I don't want to waste anymore time than necessary here, so let me get straight to the point. If you do not back out of whatever contract you've signed immediately, I will do everything in my power to bring that agency down."

My eyes widen in shock and I speak in anger without thinking, "You c-can't do that!" His hand clenches at his side and it draw my attention. He quirks an eyebrow at me, "Who do you think you are speaking to your elder like this? You're nothing but a weak little girl succumbing to her teenage rebellious phase. Your mother would be disappointed in how you've turned out." My vision takes on a red hue and my voice raises slightly, "Don't you dare bring her into this!" His mouth clamps shut but he doesn't speak again so I continue, mind forming the plan as it leaves my mouth, "If you do anything at all to hurt E-Evolution, I will go to the press about how I've been treated g-g-growing up and how the Hyuga family really is! Imagine how Hanabi will react w-w-when she finds out." His eyes widen slightly and before I can react his hand has shot up to slap me across the face. The force of it sends me tumbling onto the bed and tears start filling my eyes as I look up at him with hate coating my very being. "Very well. Do what you want, Hinata, but remember that you're no longer a daughter of mine when they realize how worthless you are and no longer want you." He calmly turns on his heel and strides out of the room as though he's just ended a business meeting.

Neji gives me a yearning look before shamefully following his uncle. I can't be upset with him because he's worked so hard to get where he has in Father's company. I can't just ask him to throw his whole life away to have my back for this one argument. I climb back into bed as everyone re-enters the room and hastily try to wipe my tears so they can't see how upset I am. Sasuke, Gaara, and Tenten sit on my left side while Sakura and Naruto sit on my right. I stare at the logo on my IV and realize suddenly that we're at the Inuzuka hospital. The string of hospitals are owned by the prestigious Inuzuka family, full of award winning doctors and veterinarians. They aren't business partners with the Hyuga, but the Hyuga's like to keep good company. The Inuzuka's are obsessed with health and evolution. Word is that they've even developed vitamins that can boost the five sense. They're having trouble getting it out into the market because the family's elders thought that many would use the vitamin simply to boost their senses during intercourse and didn't want that to taint the family name. I can kind of see where they come from. Anyway, I'd been sent here for years after my mother died for testing.

Father has never believed in things like anxiety and depression disorders, so he insisted the doctors find the physical illness causing my "misfortunes". Looking back on it, it's probably one of the larger factors as to why I'm just now coming out of my shell. The others in the room quietly started a conversation, most likely assuming that I'm just tired. I turn onto my side and bury my face as best I can into my pillow, unable to stop the tears from falling. It's not that Hiashi's slap hurt so much that I can't stop crying, it's just that he had the audacity to actually hit me in the first place. He never has liked me, but he's never laid hands on me. The Hyugas must really be done with me. I notice Sasuke giving me a clear look of concern out of the corner of his eye and feel grateful that he's not drawing attention to me, but move to cover my face even further from his view. I must really be looking a mess if even the sarcastic Uchiha looks concerned. I stay in the hospital for the remainder of the day before finally being released that evening to return to the agency.

That evening, when everyone is in their own rooms and Sakura and I are laying on the couch in the living room watching television casually, she pauses it before gasping, "Oh! I forgot to tell you! I kissed Sasuke!" My eyes shoot to hers in surprise, "A-and?" She shakes her head, "He rejected me." A small part of me felt relieved for some reason, but I shook the feeling away as me being happy Sakura didn't lose her virginity in a meaningless way. She continued, "But, boy, let me tell you. Sasuke is a great kisser, " She pauses, " but you knew that, right?" My face heats up and I smack her leg lightly. I gasp and my face turns just as red as hers, "Oh! I kissed N-Naruto, too!" She squeals and sits up a little straighter, "What happened after?!"

I shrugged, "S-Sasuke and Gaara showed up so he didn't really get to say a-a-anything..." A laugh slips through her lips and she sighs before changing the topic, "Can I ask you a favor?" I nod before even thinking about it. She's my first real girl friend and I'll do anything for her. Her face turns slightly pink and she plays with the blanket we're sharing while she speaks in a slightly quieter voice, "Can you help me find someone at the club on Saturday to do it instead?" Disbelief has me blurting out a reply before I can stop myself, "Why do you want to lose it so badly? What's the hurry?" Her eyes shoot up to mine in shock before shooting right back down onto the blanket, "I have my reasons. I just want to be a grown up, you know? I want to be rid of all things childish about me."

The answer she gives me is obviously not the real reason, but I don't push it, "Just...be careful, I-I guess." She nods, "Yeah, of course I will." She clicks the tv back on, but I have trouble focusing on it. Something is going on with her and she's trying so hard to hide it from everyone, even Tenten and Ino. It kind of hurts that she doesn't trust me enough to talk about it, but also I feel bad for wanting to pressure her into talk about something she's not comfortable with yet. I'll just have to be there for her no matter what and maybe she'll tell me when the time comes. On top of that, Hanabi had texted me to let me know that Father had removed my name from the family registry on our company's website. While it stings, maybe it's for the best.

Of course I'm grateful for my family raising me and giving me more than enough to get by on, but no one treats each other as family and more as business partners. I want a real family who loves each other and supports one another. I'm scheduled to continue my lessons as normal tomorrow granted I feel up to it. I'm not so worried about the vocal lessons, but the dance lessons may be a little much for me right now. Tsunade had even visited and gave me her personal phone number so if anything like this happens again I can contact her. She mentioned that she'll go easy on me for the next few practices so I don't over do it.

I'll just have to focus on getting back to one hundred percent and not thinking about the negative thoughts swirling away inside of my head. Today and yesterday sucked big time, but the good thing is that I never have to live through them again because they're in the past.

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	10. IMPORTANT CHAPTER PLEASE READ!

THIS ACCOUNT HAS BEEN ABANDONED. PLEASE VISIT AUTHOR NAMED: Underated-Tenten

Its still my account, but this one has had such large gaps between updates because I've been going through some family drama and such. I'd like a fresh start! I will be posting the existing chapters to both stories in progress over there, taking a chance to re-read and edit them as well. Thanks to my loyal readers and I hope you'll follow me over to that account. I am honestly very sorry for making you wait so long for updates! -Hinata5enpai 02-19-2020


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